Next to Normal
by NeitherHaveIWings2Fly
Summary: When Rachel and Puck are left heartbroken again, they begin to realize that they may not be the ones who are wrong. Set to Next to Normal the musical, rated T for Puck's eventual language. Post-Bad Reputation.
1. Everything Else

**Next to Normal**

**Hi everyone! So I let my other story die a little bit, and when looking for inspiration the other night, this came to me. I am a die-hard Broadway girl, and so this story will be set to the music of Next to Normal, which is a phenomenal musical. Just to get this done with now, I do not own Glee or any music from Next to Normal. This is set post-Bad Reputation, and yes I know there is a new episode today, but it just fits so much better. **

**Finally, the chapters will each follow a track from the soundtrack, though not in order, and maybe not in message. It's not necessary to listen to the tracks to know the story, but it's kinda fun. Enjoy!**

_You scan through the score and put fingers on keys _

_And you play_

_And everything else goes away_

_Everything else goes away_

_And you play 'til it's perfect_

_You play 'til you ache_

_You play 'til the strings or your fingernails break_

Rachel sat in the practice room, playing whatever came to mind as tears streamed down her face. She had screwed things up again. Her stupid ambition had blinded her and convinced her that tarnishing her reputation would be the best course of action.

And now here she was. Single…again. Lonely…again. Feeling like an idiot…again! Why did this keep happening to her?

The common denominator seemed to be her. Finn had said all those things about how she talked and how self-centered she was. Puck… he hadn't really said anything about her, per se; he had just wanted Quinn more.

Quinn. Good gracious, the girl could do anything and the boys still fell at her feet. Finn still made goo-goo eyes at her, Puck was following her every command, and even Jesse had called her attractive, though he had qualified it with calling her voice breathy.

She didn't notice how hard she was playing the piano now, the piece flowing out from her without thought. Music was her only friend right now. Every note dulled the pain and made her forget for a moment that things were falling apart. Jesse had been her chance for a partner with equal vocal talent and ambition, and even he had seen her as too ambitious. If he couldn't accept her, who would? Now the glee kids would have no reason to hold back on the comments that they already gave freely. If all these people were saying something was wrong with her, they must have a point. This was her fault and now she had to deal with it.

She came to the peak of the piece, pounding on the keys and closing her eyes, letting the music surround her. In the middle of the intensity she found silence, the only peace in this stupid, judgmental world. She let the music overtake her for one more moment, and then began to work the piece back down, to the quiet and restrained end. When the strings finally stilled, Rachel expected silence. Instead, she heard a voice behind her.

"That was pretty good, Berry. You played about as angry as I feel."

"What do you mean, Noah?" She asked, keeping her back to him. She didn't want him to see her tear-stained face.

"Mind if I join you for a while?"

**AN: So, there was Rachel's Prelude. I realize she sounds a little pathetic, but she just got dumped and that's a pretty pathetic place to be a lot of the time. Next up will be Puck's Prelude and the story behind why he's so angry. Both preludes will be a bit short, because they're simply intros, and the chapters will get longer. Review if you'd like, and another update will be up soon.**


	2. You Don't Know

**Hello again everyone! Thanks to all who favorited or reviewed. Glee last night was AWESOME and Puck singing the Lady is a Tramp was drool-worthy. I'm utterly confused, though, because generally when you say someone is breaking your heart, it's not assumed that you're staying together, so what is up with Rachel and Jesse? Ah well, in this story they are broken up. Here's Puck's Prelude- You Don't Know.**

_The sensation that you're screaming, but you never make a sound.  
Or the feeling that you're falling, but you never hit the ground.  
It just keeps on rushing at you day by day by day by day.  
You don't know, you don't know what it's like to live that way.  
Like a refugee, a fugitive, forever on the run.  
If it gets me it will kill me, but I don't know what I've done._

Puck had been kinda mad when he found out that Rachel had triple casted him in her video. He wouldn't admit it unless under severe torture, but he and Rachel had kinda been friends since the Babygate scandal. She hadn't dismissed him, and she'd taken time to make sure he was okay. He didn't talk much, but when he wanted to, she listened. She was pretty cool for a crazy chick. And yeah, she'd used him, but he was kinda more proud of her than anything.

So the day hadn't really been going his way, and from what he saw walking past Berry's locker earlier, it didn't look like it was going her way either. He was heading for his locker before free period when he saw Quinn waiting for him there. That couldn't be good. She dragged him to the auditorium and sat him down.

"Puck, I wanted to tell you how grateful I am that you've been stepping up and being responsible and… I appreciate that."

"There's a but coming. I know this talk."

"I've been talking to Finn for the past week. He… he made a mistake. He said it was okay to tell you. While we were working on the Madonna project, he slept with Santana." Well, that was one curveball he was not expecting.

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Well, he started to understand how I was feeling. I mean he made the choice sober and he…" Puck decided to cut this scene short.

"He regrets it. He realizes what a big mistake it was. Come on, Quinn, you wanted to talk so at least be honest. I get it, I'm a grade A screw up and you'd prefer me not be a part of your life."

"Puck, this is the first good thing that's happened to me in a while. I was so angry when I created the Glist… yes it was me… and suddenly there he was. He understands and… I mean he's working through some feelings for Rachel, but they're friends right now and he's at least willing to be friends with me again. And we haven't really been together, Puck, it was just to protect each other and put up a united front." Puck stood up and started heading for the door.

"I'm glad I could help you until a better offer came along. Finn should help bring you back up the social ladder, even as a friend. Sorry I keep dragging you down." He didn't listen to the objections she voiced as he threw the doors open and started walking. He wasn't even sure where he was going, he just had to go.

What the hell had he done wrong? A few stupid pranks and he was branded a Lima Loser for life. And innocent Finn, who pulled most of the same shit he did, got a clean record. He slept with Santana and that earned him sympathy.

Was he really that bad of a guy? He stepped up for Quinn, he protected Rachel (well, since he joined Glee), and he was even trying to pay attention in his classes. All people would remember were his failures.

Suddenly, Puck heard a piano being played and he realized he was down near the choir room. The Glee kids would probably be in there, since it was free period. He decided to hit one of the practice rooms and hide out for a while. If he was around people, he might end up responsible for something else that would be held against him.

He reached the first one and realized that it was Rachel playing the piano. He couldn't see her face, but her whole body was moving with how hard she was playing. She was having a pretty crappy day like him; maybe she'd be someone decent to be around for a while. He walked in the room, knowing that she didn't hear him over the roar of the piano. After another minute or two, she finished the song.

"That was pretty good, Berry. You played about as angry as I feel." He saw her jump a little when he spoke.

"What do you mean, Noah?"

"Mind if I join you for a while?"

**So, I'm not anti- Quinn or Finn in any way, I just feel like they're better together in their cute little rhyming universe. There's the setup, now on to the action! **


	3. Perfect For You

**Hello again! I'm glad so many of you are enjoying this… I'm really enjoying thinking it up and listening to Next to Normal for hours on end, so it's a win-win. This chapter is off the song Perfect For You, which was the main inspiration for this whole story. Also, I totally stole a line from a Lea Michelle interview, because it's perfect.**

_This planet is pretty much broken beyond all repair  
But one thing is working if you're standing there  
Perfect for you, I could be perfect for you  
I might be lazy, a loner, a bit of a stoner it's true  
But I could be perfect, I'll make myself perfect_

_Perfect for you_

"Mind if I join you for a while?" Puck had asked the question, but he didn't wait for an answer to step in and set down his backpack.

"I was just… I was going to be alone for a while." Rachel replied, attempting to hide her sniffles. She failed, however, and Puck came and sat next to her on the piano bench.

"That tool really did a number on you, huh?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." She turned her head away from him, hoping he'd take the hint and leave.

"Come on, Rachel. You can't bullshit me. You're a terrible liar." She finally gave in and turned towards him, letting him see her tear-stained face. "Man, like he needed to give people a reason to kick his ass."

"He was angry about the video. Finn got just as mad and it seemed like you did, too."

"Berry, your attempt to ruin your reputation included angels, clouds, and a gun that said bang." He laughed. "I was mad for like two seconds and that was only because I looked ridiculous. The triple casting thing was actually kinda funny."

"Fine then. Finn was as angry as Jesse."

"You're using Finn as a measure of normal thinking? You got a lot to learn, Berry." If she wasn't angry before, Rachel sure was now.

"I know what was said to me! Jesse said that he asked about me before we dated, and that while most people didn't know who I was and those who did disliked me, people said I could be trusted. And I broke that trust!"

"Okay, let's talk this through kindergarten style. One, who would he ask before transferring here? His Vocal Adrenaline friends? Because none of us here would speak to him, and you saw how people reacted when they found out about you dating! Two, wrack your brain and think of who would say you were trustworthy? Does anyone our age other than you use that to describe people?" Rachel was staring at him incredulously. "He's messing with you, Berry. Breaking up with you for no good reason would just prove that he had plans from the start, so he waited until he had something to use. His reason for transferring was to date you, so if you broke up he could transfer back having done his damage." Rachel sat in silence for a moment after he finished.

"I don't want to believe you, but that makes sense." She sniffed again, wiping her face with her sleeve. "What about you? You vaguely hinted at your own personal resentment earlier?"

"Well, Quinn and I haven't really been dating or together. It's just kinda been us watching out for each other and… I guess I was okay with it. I mean I'm worried about my kid, but I figured maybe we could at least be friends. But I guess perfect Finn started talking to her again and she doesn't want me dragging down her reputation any farther. I didn't really let her finish what she was saying, but I'm pretty sure she was implying that she wouldn't be hanging around much anymore." Silence settled over them again. They sat there on the bench, staring at the keys, neither one knowing what to say. After a few minutes, Rachel broke the silence.

"I'm sick and tired of this. What are we doing wrong?" Puck laughed.

"You ever think that maybe it's not us?" Rachel was doing the "you're insane" stare again. "Go with me here. Yes, a lot of people keep blaming us, but we're just being who we are. Santana's a bitch and she gets credit for it somehow. Finn runs around like a chicken with his head cut off and people think it's cute. Jesse is even more insulting and diva-ish than you on your worst day and everyone thinks he's amazing. Who are they to tell us we're wrong?"

"I don't know, Puck, I think in this case my ambition did get the best of me…"

"So what? You're talented and you're gonna fight to be the best. That's not ambitious, that's smart. You do what you have to do." Rachel smiled.

"You know how you said you try to be a good person? It doesn't seem like you're trying right now, Noah. That was very sweet." He rolled his eyes.

"How many times do I have to tell you this, babe? Badass! The term is badass!" They both laughed, and Puck noticed that Rachel had slowly scooted closer to him on the bench. Just like the other night… "You know, Berry" Puck started after they'd settled down, "now that you don't have a boyfriend, it's alright for you to be, what did you say, ironically turned on by me." He reached over, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, and was pleased at the blush that covered her face instantly.

"Noah, I…" He could feel a Rachel Berry speech in the making, so he cut her off.

"Joking aside, Rach… you're the only person who actually sees me. After all the shit I pulled with you, you were still okay with knowing me, and even helping me. And I lied when we broke up… I wasn't actually going to break up with you and we are friends. You and me, we work together. Sometimes you're eight kinds of crazy and sometimes I'm so angry at the world that I can't see straight, but when I'm around you, I don't feel so angry." Rachel ducked her head and smiled.

"I have found that you seem to have a calming effect on me as well."

"Look," Puck turned so he was straddling the bench, "I'm not the kind of person to say things are fate or whatever, but both of us getting pushed away today? Me comin' down here instead of just ditching school? Something's happening and I think we might just be right for each other."

"I'm…" She paused. "I'm nervous, Noah. Every time I put my heart on the line, things get messed up and I end up here, abusing the piano and wallowing in my emotions. And last time we tried this, we didn't even make it a week."

"But things are different this time. We both actually want each other." At her raised eyebrow, Puck argued, "Come on, you know you want some of the Puckerone."

"Oh gosh," She laughed, "I don't think I can be in a relationship with you and your gargantuan ego."

"How about this? Take some time and think about it. I'll wait." Rachel was so stunned, she almost didn't know what to say. Almost.

"Noah, that is so out of character of you. I don't want you to believe that you need to alter your personality in order to…"

"Rachel, I didn't fight for you last time, and maybe if I had we wouldn't have gone through half this shit. So, think, make a list, do whatever works for you."

"Thank you." Puck checked his watch and realized that free period was about to end, and he started to get up. "Wait, Noah?" He turned back to her and found that she was now straddling the bench as well. "No matter what happens, I do owe you this." Rachel leaned forward and gently kissed him. Not wanting to waste the moment, in case she did decide her answer was no, Puck pulled her closer and deepened the kiss for a few seconds and then let her go. Rachel was beaming and he couldn't help but smile as well. She didn't tell him, but with that smile, Rachel was pretty sure she had already made up her mind.

They stayed sitting together for another moment until the bell rang, signaling the end of the period. That moment happened to be just enough time for Jacob Ben Israel to sneak away from the practice room window he'd been looking in, with his thoughts already on how many hits his blog would get after he broke the story.

_But even if everything else turns to dirt_

_We'll be the one thing in this world that won't hurt_

**And the drama begins. So Lea Michele said, in some E! interview I can't remember when, that she liked the Puck and Rachel interaction because Puck has a calming effect on Rachel, and I thought that was a really good description. And, as my old English teacher used to say, good writers borrow from others, great writers steal outright. The next chapter will be shorter, but it'll be great Rachel-wise, so stick with me and we'll have some fun.**


	4. Superboy and the Invisible Girl

**Hello again! I want everyone who favorite and reviewed this story to know that every alert I get makes my day 100 times better. And, to Pagan-Angel13, Perfect For You is on the Next to Normal soundtrack, sung by Aaron Tveit and Jennifer Damiano. So this chapter ended up longer than I thought, big day for me. I would also like to note that some things may seem harsh, but remember that once upon a time, the Cheerios told Rachel to sterilize herself.**

_Superboy and the Invisible Girl  
Son of Steel and Daughter of Air  
He's a hero, a lover, a prince  
She's not there__I'd fly far away from here_

Superboy and the Invisible Girl  
Everything a kid oughtta be  
He's immortal, forever alive  
Then there's me

I wish I could fly  
And magically appear and disappear  
I wish I could fly

That afternoon at school, Rachel could hear the whispers and see the stares of her fellow classmates. This wasn't anything new, of course, and now that her boyfriend had dumped her, it seemed like her personal life was on display once again. Jesse had called himself a drama queen, so apparently he felt he needed to live up to his reputation and let everyone know he did the breaking in the break-up.

The day ended, thankfully, though Rachel had spent her last class thinking about Noah. She would of course note that they were watching a _To Kill a Mockingbird_ in English and that she had seen the movie multiple times, therefore she was not missing any information. He said he would fight for her, something no one had done before. Finn had said he would, but he seemed to get distracted just as fast. Rachel had seen him hanging around with Santana, of all people, and now he was talking with Quinn again. Rachel giggled as she got the imagined a puppy confused about which toy to chase first. Finn was a sweet guy, he just never seemed to know what he wanted.

The bell rang and she headed out to meet her Dad, who was able to pick her up since he worked at home. She had a bit of homework, which of course would come first, followed by a new video for Myspace. She was thinking something contemplative to show both her understanding of losing Jesse and her current questioning of a relationship with Noah. Though there wasn't much questioning there.

After a short snack, Rachel got started on her homework. No English today, a little math, but the problems were easy and the answers were in the back of the book (she wouldn't cheat, of course, simply use them to guide her work), and she planned on researching some new music for Glee.

She decided on "Someone Else's Story" for her MySpace video, because she truly felt that she and Jesse could have worked if some things had been different. As it was, she had accepted the breakup and was now about to start on a new endeavor. Well, not entirely new, as she and Noah had dated before, but this would be different. It had to be.

Rachel opened her MySpace page and was shocked to find she had 35 new messages. Were people really going to start the attacks over Jesse? She knew that people would mock, but usually it took quite an event to get them motivated enough to think up somewhat witty comments.

She opened the first and all it said was "Whore". In an instant Rachel's heart sped up and her breath came more quickly. What happened? The comments went on: "Slut" "Wasn't one guy enough?" "Tramp" "Bitch" "You don't deserve him" "Charity case" "Desperate". The worst was from JSaintStar, which she knew was Jesse's MySpace account. "I should be shocked, but I'm not. Congrats, you got your bad reputation." At the end of his message was a link, but she didn't have to guess what it led to. That was the web address to Jacob's blog. Oh no.

One click and she saw the headline: "St. James Kicks Berry to the Curb…Where Puck Picks Her Up". Below was a picture of the kiss in the practice room, taken through the small window in the door. Well, that explained the whispers. And the whore comments. Out of curiosity, Rachel went to Facebook, which she rarely visited since she had very few friends, Facebook or otherwise. Noah had friended her during their brief relationship and she was curious to see what messages he had gotten.

"Huh," She laughed to herself, "and the hits just keep on coming." Noah's wall was covered with comments, mostly from his Neanderthal football friends: "Way to score, Puck!" "Desperate girl on the rebound: AWESOME!" "Trying for Berry's cherry?" The highlights from the females weren't much better: "Run out of cougars?" "There are way easier lays out there" and, charming as ever, Santana posted "Call me when you're bored".

She felt hurt. She felt mortified. But more than anything, Rachel Berry was pissed off. They knew nothing, and yet now there was a public record of the world's disdain for her. Puck's words echoed in her head.

"Who are they to tell us we're wrong?" Rachel smiled.

"Screw them." She grabbed her phone and dialed Puck's number.

"Hello?"

"Good evening, Noah. What are you doing?"

"Figuring out how many years in prison I'd get for killing the football team."

"Noah…"

"And Jacob… he didn't even get a thought. He's dead. I think he knows he's dead. He's booking his ticket to the Holy Land as we speak."

"Noah…"

"And the Cheerios? I'm sorry. Have I said that yet? I'm sorry. Every single one a freakin' mistake. I will find some way to get them. Quinn seems to have some pretty decent dirt on them."

"How easy would it be for you to sneak out of your house and come get me right now?" Puck paused.

"Five minutes, ten tops if my mom's in the family room."

"See you then."

**YAY! Next chapter is already in the works, so I'll see you all again soon.**


	5. I'm Alive

**Hi again! Blockbuster had a glitch and didn't send me my DVDs for the week, so I had some free time and I jumped into the next chapter. I'm trying to get both Rachel and Puck's POVs, so it might jump around a little. But they're both awesome, so there's really nothing to worry about.**

_But I'm alive, I'm alive, I am so alive  
And I'll tell you the truth if you let me try.  
You're alive, I'm alive, and I'll show you why  
I'm alive, so alive_

Rachel sat looking out her window, her heart pounding a mile a minute. Any second she would see a truck pull up, and then she would climb down her tree and sneak out for the first time in her life. It was only 8 o'clock, and if she had asked her fathers probably would have let her go out, but this was something she needed to do.

Tonight was the night that Rachel Berry was shedding everything that kept her tied down and acting impulsively. This would be the moment that she would look back on and know that she was free. Either that or she would look back and know that this was the moment it all went wrong. For the first time, though, she wasn't afraid of that risk.

She saw the truck and without a thought she ran to the window and opened it. As she started to climb into the tree she could see Puck getting out of the truck and doing an awkward run over.

"Noah, what are you doing?"

"That's how they run in the spy movies. You gotta crouch!" She laughed.

"My fathers are currently watching Cabaret and once Liza is on they don't notice the world around them. You're safe from them… and the Russians." She heard him laugh as she continued to climb down.

Puck felt something stirring in him as he watched Rachel climb down. He decided it was pride at her taking his badass example, though the image he got in his head of pinning her against the tree and kissing her senseless may have meant it was more than pride. She hopped down and stood in front of him beaming.

"You're really pleased with yourself, aren't you?"

"Yes. Let's go." He grabbed her hand and they ran to the truck. Again, there was no need, but it was the energy of the moment.

"Where to?"

"Somewhere not here… I don't honestly care." The engine revved and they were off. The radio was on, so for a little while they drove in silence. Rachel was surprised when Puck was the one to break it.

"I meant what I said earlier. I'm sorry about that shit they wrote."

"It's nothing new to me. I've been subject to their mockery for years." She paused, thinking for a moment. "When Jesse and I broke up, I told him how I have this compulsion to be popular. And, even though I've endured this for quite some time, tonight was the first time that I thought that if being popular means hurting others like they hurt me, then I don't want to be like them." Puck wasn't saying much and he wasn't looking at her, either. "Noah, I'm not talking about you, you know that. Yes, you slushied me for a time, but you never tried to hurt me. They chose to make personal attacks, while yours were impersonal pranks on whoever was nearest. I've made friends with you and dated you and I still don't think I've had a complete conversation with any Cheerio other than Quinn… and that wasn't even a whole conversation, just me apologizing for telling about you two."

"I'm sorry about that stuff too."

"I know. And I forgive you. And it's over now, so let's not talk about it, okay?" He nodded in agreement. "So, where are we going on our wild night of folly?"

"That name sucks. I'm officially deeming this Badass Rachel Night. You already snuck out, so you've taken some steps. How are you with trespassing?"

"NOAH!"

"Don't worry, I know that the family won't be home. They live right outside of Lima and they're gone for the week."

"I don't know…"

"Trust me, okay?" Rachel sighed.

"If we get caught, my fathers will murder you."

"Worth the risk, babe." Rachel felt something flutter in her chest. She might end up in a lot of trouble tonight, but he was absolutely correct.

A few minutes later, they pulled into a driveway. The house was a little ways out, and there weren't any nearby neighbors. At least they didn't have to worry about being seen. Puck got out and then came around to help Rachel down. He grabbed her hand again and led her around the side of the house. They came to a locked gate and for a moment Rachel was worried that he'd want her to climb over, a feat which her skirt would not allow, at least not appropriately. Her fears were allayed when he picked a key from his key ring and opened it.

"Is it trespassing if you have a key?"

"I work on the pool and they're away a lot so I have a key. They don't know we're coming over, though. Still counts." They walked around back and Rachel saw a large pool. Puck fiddled with a switch on the side of the house and the pool lit up. The whole backyard looked beautiful in the wavy light off the water.

"Okay, you get credit for this." Rachel laughed as she walked over to the hot tub, kicked off her shoes, and stuck her feet in as she sat down. "Ugh, that feels _so good_."

"Rach, you can't make noises like that." Puck groaned as he sat next to her. He didn't find it too funny, but she did and she cracked up.

"I'm sorry, my feet just hurt."

"It's 'cause you wear those crazy shoes."

"I'm five foot three, Noah, and I get trampled in the hallway even when I'm in heels. If I were to always wear flats I'm pretty sure the scene would be something akin to the stampede scene in the Lion King. Dangerous and tragic." They both laughed for a while, and then settled into amiable silence. Puck had been keeping a little distance between them tonight, not knowing what her choice was, but holding back was driving him crazy. He decided on a compromise, slipped his arm around her back, and was pleasantly surprised when she leaned into him and laid her head on his shoulder. "Noah?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm still nervous, but you were right earlier, about this being worth the risk. I said I felt calm around you, and that's true, but at the same time my heart starts to pound and my head feels a little fuzzy and I like it. So, I made my decision. I'm in." Puck, excited at the moment and pleased that she had taken to his way of speaking, pulled her close and kissed her. He started to understand what she was talking about with her head feeling fuzzy. After staying that way for a little while, he stood and pulled her up.

"You know they're gonna give us hell tomorrow at school."

"What can they say at this point that's worse than what they put on MySpace?"

"True. Still, you ready for it?" A sneaky smile broke across Rachel's face.

"Bring it."

"Oh! Look who's so clever, stealin' my lines!" Puck picked Rachel up as she screamed in laughter. "So, you're in, huh?"

"Indubitably."

"Okay." Puck set Rachel down, grabbed her hand, and pulled her as he fell back into the pool. When they both surfaced, she splashed him.

"I can't believe you!"

"Can you tell me this won't be one of those memories that you look back and smile and think about how awesome I am?"

"This might be the memory that I look back on when I'm awkwardly climbing back up my tree thinking about how uncomfortable I am."

"Fine, I'll tell you a secret… it'll offset my badass pull into the pool." She swam closer to hear. "This is my aunt's house. That's why I knew no one was home. She's with her husband on a business trip."

"Oh, Noah. That's…"

"Don't say it's adorable. Please? I told you my secret, please don't make it worse." Rachel grabbed his shirt and pulled him close.

"I was going to say that's so badass."

"That's my girl."

They drove back to Rachel's house a little while later, and Rachel's climb back into her room was quite uncomfortable, but she didn't mind. She was happy. Tomorrow was going to be a mess because, quite honestly, the people at McKinley sucked. That would be tomorrow, though. Tonight remained pretty badass.

**Yay! Another chapter down. Yes, I am finishing this at 3 am my time, and I should be sleeping, but that ship sailed, so I'm choosing to feel accomplished instead. There's some good stuff to come, and then some angsty stuff to come later, but for now we're at a high in the relationship, so let's all be excited. I'm now going to sleep. Goodnight/morning!**


	6. Better Than Before

**So, I had the busiest weekend in a while. I'm back though, and am having a great time. This is the longest fic I've written to date, and the most responses I've gotten, so you all make my day/week/month better every time I see a new e-mail from FF. Puck and Rachel are going to school! This should go well, right? ;-)**

_Gonna get us back to normal.  
Gonna get us back to good.  
Gonna get back what we had and maybe more.  
Gonna get us back to good times,  
And forget the things we should  
Gonna get us back to better than before.  
We can get things back to better than before._

They sat in the cab of Puck's truck, staring at the school. In a show of solidarity, they had decided to drive and face the school together. It seemed a little more daunting now, though.

"We could ditch."

"Noah."

"Fine then. Time to face the music." She grimaced.

"Let's go." He came around to help her down and they headed in. Rachel thought the stares were bad yesterday, but today they were ten times worse. And now she was certain the whispers were about her. But then, Puck put his arm around her back and she felt her spine straighten a little. Let them stare. After a few minutes, they had made it to Rachel's locker. "Well, here we are."

"Surprise, surprise. I thought they'd pounce at the door and tear us up."

"I wouldn't put that past some of the girls here."

"It's just because nobody's fed them for a while." Rachel laughed. "So, wanna give'um something to stare at?" And then she gave Puck's favorite response. She shrugged and said, "Sure." He pulled her close and kissed her, daring the inhabitants of the hallway to bother them. The warning bell rang and he groaned. "English… see you later?"

"You certainly will." And they headed their separate ways. Rachel beamed as she headed off to chemistry. She was brought down quickly when she heard someone behind her.

"God, man hands, you get around faster than I do."

"I don't think that's physically possible, Santana." Rachel kept walking. If Santana wanted to insult her, she was gonna have to keep up.

"He's just ticked because Quinn isn't paying attention to him anymore. Once she figures out that these 'conversations' with Finnocence aren't going to get her anywhere, she'll be back to wanting Puck's eyes on her and he'll look. You're just an easy distraction in a short skirt." Rachel didn't respond and walked into her lab class. Santana was just projecting her issues anyway, right?

The next fifty minutes were a blur of measurements, observations, and Brittany lighting her lab station on fire twice. Rachel was baffled, as there weren't any flames in the lab they were working on, but things like that tended to happen around Brittany. She was surprised, though, to find Puck waiting for her outside the class after the bell rang.

"How did you get here so fast?"

"Told the teacher I had to pee 3 minutes before class ended. She's old… she didn't even notice I took my backpack with me." Rachel had to give him credit for that one. At least he didn't skip the class entirely. They walked together to Rachel's math class, and as she headed in, he did too.

"What are you doing?"

"This is my class, too."

"Yes, but this is usually your naptime with the nurse." Puck shrugged.

"Never had a reason to go before. Plus, I ought to learn a couple'a things, let people know I'm not just a pretty face."

"And there's the ego! I was wondering if he stayed home today!" They sat down next to each other and continued to talk until the bell rang. Rachel attempted to take her usual, diligent notes, but she found herself somewhat distracted by her brand new boyfriend sitting next to her. Especially since he kept looking at her.

Puck didn't intend to actually take notes in math. He wasn't going to break his streak of inattention, even for a girl. Showing up was important, though, and he knew it was particularly important for Rachel. A lot of people had ditched her before, so she deserved someone who was going to be there. As a bonus, watching her during class was making her fidget and not be able to focus, so he got some amusement out of the deal, too.

Glee was next, and Rachel was relieved to be in a room where most of the looks towards here were not ones of hatred and disdain. Of course, people were still staring, but now it was more curiosity and confusion. Tina and Artie sat together whispering, but Rachel saw Tina smile at her for a moment. Santana and Brittany had a corner with Matt and Mike. Santana looked full-on livid, Brittany looked like she was counting ceiling tiles, and Matt and Mike were eyeing Puck and Rachel, wondering about how fast things seemed to change in Glee. Mercedes and Kurt were whispering like crazy, pointedly gawking at Rachel more than Puck. Rachel could only imagine the slanderous comments they were making. Finally, there were Finn and Quinn. They were sitting next to each other, talking a little, but mostly awkwardly looking anywhere but at each other.

Mr. Schue came in and silenced the whispers. "Okay guys, I have an announcement. Jesse has informed me that his parents are returning home, and that he will be transferring back to Carmel, so he won't be coming to Glee anymore. He'll be here at McKinley for another week or two, but since he won't perform with us, he'll be going back to rehearsals there."

"I knew it." Puck whispered.

"Anyway, we have to keep practicing and getting ready for Regionals. I'd like to spend the next few days running over some old pieces and re-working them. We really do have a shot at this, Jesse or no Jesse, and I want to be ready." Rachel was glad to rehearse for the next 45 minutes, to throw herself into the music and thrive in her element. The hallways belonged to everyone else at the school, but the choir room was her domain, and she wasn't afraid here.

Sadly, Glee came to an end and Rachel had history before lunch. Puck had science, so Rachel was once again able to devote her usual level of attention to her notes and the teacher. Ancient Egypt was fascinating, as well, so Rachel enjoyed class. She was looking forward to lunch, though, where Puck had already told her to meet him in the auditorium.

She walked in and saw that he was already sitting on the stage with his lunch.

"So, has this been the hell you were expecting?"

"They've been relatively calm, I'm quite shocked. I was expecting a slushie every hour and scandalous comments all over the bathroom stalls. Other than Santana, there's been nothing." Puck scowled.

"What did she do?"

"The usual comments." She brushed it off, but Puck could see her uncertainty.

"Rachel?"

"It's fine. I have a feeling she's just jealous." Rachel knew the second she said it that Puck would pick that up.

"Damn straight she's jealous! Have you seen my guns?" Puck flexed for her and she laughed.

"As we've discussed to quite some detail, Noah, your arms are lovely. She was just rude, but I've moved on."

"Let her talk. She doesn't get actually caring for someone beyond a 'do and dump'." He smiled and reached over to grab her hand.

"Well, she was a fool to let you go."

After lunch Rachel had health class, which was foolish because she already followed a strict health regimen to keep herself in excellent shape for singing. She played along, though, and currently had 105% for a grade. When the period ended, Rachel knew that Puck would be meeting her at her locker to spend their free period together. She headed across school, but when she arrived at her locker she stopped short. She had been so sure that the day was going well, but there in big, red letters, 'SLUT' was written across her locker door. She turned, hoping to find Puck and stop him from seeing her locker, as he would most likely freak out and try to hunt down whoever had written it. Her search ended quickly, though, as when she turned she was met with a slushie to the face and a laughing Karofsky.

Well, at least she hadn't worn white today.

**Awww, poor Rachel. I always thought the slushie treatment was horrible, yet at the same time have found myself wanting to throw a slushie at someone out of pure curiosity. Ah well. I'm sorry this took so long. I intended to write yesterday, but Lost had a four and a half hour finale and my sister banned me from my computer. The next chap should be up soon, I promise!**


	7. Make Up Your MindCatch Me I'm Falling

**I just got done watching Glee and it was awesome! I love emotional Puck! And I think it's interesting that they included the info about his dad (as that helps with something I have planned to write…hmmm…), and the Kurt storyline was great, so well done Glee writers. Get ready for some fluff, kids, because that's what this chapter is. Appreciate it now, there's angst on the horizon. **

_Make up your mind to live stronger now  
Make up your mind let the truth be revealed  
Admit what you've lost and live with the cost  
At times it does hurt to be healed_

Rachel stood still, letting the slushie drip down her face for a moment. Wiping it away wouldn't help, she had learned. You just had to take it and move on. On the plus side, it seemed that people were catching in that grape was her favorite.

"Son of a bitch!" Whoops… Rachel had forgotten to stop Puck. "Rachel, who did it?"

"Noah, it's okay. I have back-up clothes, per usual, and I feel that the perpetrator's motives may branch from a deep seeded need for attention, and beating him up would only cause him to escalate. Plus, at least he chose free period, so I have time to clean off."

"I know it was Karofsky, Rach, he's the only douche who would still slushie people. Who did the locker?" Rachel paused.

"I don't know. I had just gotten here when…" She gestured to herself.

"I'm gonna find out…"

"Noah, it's not worth it. It'll just spur them on." He still looked furious. "I need to go change." Rachel went to her locker and opened it, ignoring the bright red letters that metaphorically slapped her across the face. She grabbed her clothes and, when she turned back, Puck was right beside her.

"Stop somewhere with me first?" She took his hand and walked with him down the hall to his locker, where he grabbed something out that Rachel couldn't really see. He walked with her to the girls bathroom and, with a quick look around, stuck up a sign that said 'Out of Order' and pulled her inside. Rachel laughed and he shrugged. "Sometimes TV teaches you things." He grabbed the chair that always seemed to be in the bathroom and pulled it over to the sink. "Come on, I owe you one." Rachel sat down and Puck started running the water.

Rachel was surprised with how gentle Puck was as he helped her wash off. Of course, she'd never had anyone help her after a slushie facial, so all of this was a surprise.

"Why don't you fight back when they do this stuff to you?"

"It won't stop them. I mean, even you and Finn and Santana and Brittany are a part of Glee and we still get picked on by the jocks all the time. Fighting back would only make them want to do something worse, and I can handle what they do. I don't know if I could handle worse."

"I started this."

"No, all the jocks were on my case. You were just a subject of their mob mentality. They didn't need you to do it, they would have anyway." He was quiet for a while as he washed the syrup out of her hair.

"You're pretty good at this." She commented with a laugh.

"I learned from the best." Once her hair was all rinsed out, Rachel squeezed the water out and pulled it up into a bun. She then took her clothes into one of the stalls and started to change.

"Uh-oh."

"What uh-oh?"

"Well, it seems that in my worry this morning, I did not grab an extra shirt. This one is salvageable, but I'm gonna be walking around in slushie stained shirt." She came out of the stall and Puck could see she was disappointed. "I'm usually much more mindful in my preparations."

"Well, to end my streak of awesome this afternoon…"

"Oh gracious, Noah!"

"I have one more move." It was still free period, so the halls were empty. Puck walked Rachel back to his locker, opened it up, and pulled out his letterman jacket. With a smile he held it up and helped her into it. It was huge on her, but she couldn't help but think that it was perfect.

"You are quite the gentleman when you try."

"Another one of my awesome qualities." She sighed.

"Still something to get used to." The bell rang and students began filing out into the hallway. Many stopped and stared as Noah Puckerman kissed Rachel Berry, who was wearing his letterman jacket for the world to see. After a moment, Rachel looked around. Puck saw how uncomfortable she was and hollered out, "Alright, you saw what you came to see, move along!" He slung his arm over her shoulder and said he'd walk her to English.

As they walked, Rachel thought about how much her life had changed in 24 hours. She had gone from a dumped nobody to dating someone willing to stand up for her, even facing the ridicule of the people whose opinions he used to value above everything else. She had the very sneaking suspicion that she was falling for Noah and that it was going to be a crazy ride.

_Catch me I'm falling_

_Catch me I'm falling_

_Faster than anyone should_

**This chapter was shorter, and the next one will be too, but we're getting around to the really juicy stuff, so hang with me. For now, I'm going to bed and thinking about the fact that I'm going to the Glee concert in Chicago tonight! Yay! I'm so excited I might not sleep. I'm off to try though. Goodnight everyone!**


	8. Aftershocks

**OMG, the Glee concert was amazing! They're so good live. Also, Mark Salling is kind of a dork when he dances un-choreographed. It was adorable. The real show stealer was Heather Morris as Brittany, who was confused about why the crowd was there and who improved a line about making out with stagehands when her microphone broke. Anyway… this chapter is going to be short and different, but it's the setup to the next part of the story. **

_Your life goes back to normal now, or so they all believe  
Your heart is in your chest again, not hanging from your sleeve  
They've driven out the demons and they've earned you this reprieve  
The memories are gone. The aftershocks live on_

As the crowd dispersed in the hallway, two sets of eyes stayed watching the couple as they walked down the hall. In a moment they noticed each other, and she made her way across the hall to him.

"What's the matter, St. James? Letting your heart break over RuPaul?"

"No, I was just expecting her to be more crushed. Instead all I got was a mildly emotional ballad from Chess and she's dating again." He shook his head. "I thought I had such a read on her. She seemed entirely predictable in her actions. Though maybe I was right, and Puckerman is the wild card."

"Oh, he's wild all right." She said, sighing.

"So that's what's got you watching. Innocent Rachel stole your man, huh Santana?"

"Wait, innocent? Rachel told Finn that you two slept together!"

"She freaked out. Made up some excuse about it not feeling right if she were betraying the Glee club. I swear she's a virgin and a half." Santana laughed.

"God, that's beautiful. Of course, Finn lied too, so I guess it's poetic or something. He wasn't really my kind of man, though. Who do you think 'encouraged' him to start talking to Quinn again? Stupid plan backfired when she told Puck to back off. I expected a text within 5 minutes. Instead, he goes and finds Man Hands in the practice room." Suddenly, Jesse smiled the type of smile you saw on a plotting Bond villain's face.

"You know, maybe we can help each other. I want Rachel off her game and you want Puck lonely and desperate."

"I'm listening."

"We give them a few days, let them get all nice and happy. You know his weaknesses, I know hers. We get them doubting, show them that their attempt to re-create Grease is ill-fated, and break them up. Puck will go back to his old ways and be at your doorstop in no time. Rachel… well, she'll probably be devastated to lose another boyfriend. I'll try to get her back with me, which I'll admit may not work because I'm leaving, but either way, it'll be the right mixture of events to mess her up just enough before regionals."

"I'm the last one who'll admit it, but I do like Glee. I don't want to destroy everything we've worked for."

"Schuester said that as long as you're top 3, the club survives. Rachel will still be good, trust me her voice can withstand anything. She'll just be missing that emotion that will put you guys over the top. The other schools… they've been a joke for a while. You'll get second, and next year you'll take it with me gone." Santana took a moment to think it through.

"Works for me." She finally answered.

"Good. I'm glad there's someone else who knows how things should work around here." Jesse paused and took a good look at Santana. "You're not half bad, Lopez. Once you get Puck out of your system, we should talk." She smirked back at him.

"You bet. For now, though, let's discuss Puck's daddy issues."

**I feel almost bad making them this diabolical, but since the promo for next week has Jesse going back to Vocal Adrenaline, the feeling passes. And Santana… I can't really get a read on her yet. She says she likes Glee, but then still spies… So she's a bad guy in this story. Things are gonna be nice for a little while longer, but the dark clouds are rolling in. See ya soon.**


	9. There's a World

**My computer got a virus over the weekend, and let me tell you, that was a riot. Blech! I couldn't open anything and it wouldn't let me go to any webpages… every now and then I swear this technology thing is just a fad. But, I am back, with some happy Puckleberry fluff and some other surprises. This chapter is uber long, as a payment for my lack of recent update.**

_There's a world, there's a world I know  
A place we can go where the pain will go away  
There's a world where the sun shines each day  
There's a world, there's a world out there  
I'll show you just where  
And in time I know you'll see  
There's a world where we can be free_

Rachel and Puck were talking at his locker at the end of the day.

"So, you asked your dad for a ride home, right?"

"Yes, I made sure he was available."

"Okay. I hate to ditch you, but we have a basketball meeting. Something about the upcoming conference or some shit." At that moment, Puck noticed Finn standing at his locker, and Finn had heard him. He got a look on his face, but in a moment of pure mercy, he covered for Puck.

"You're gonna be late, dude. Let's go." Puck gave Rachel a quick kiss and headed around the corner following Finn. When Rachel was out of sight, Finn grabbed Puck and shoved him against the lockers. "I'm not too happy with Rach right now, but I swear if you are playing her…"

"I'm going after Karofsky. The douche slushied Rachel and he knows she's off limits. She told me not to go after him, that it wasn't worth it, but it feels pretty damn worth it to me." Finn let him go and stepped back.

"Matt and Mike are around, I'll grab them. We haven't had a good beatdown in a while." Finn gave him a half smile. "I mean it, though. Rachel isn't like girls here."

"Damn straight if I don't know it." Finn shot Puck a look and Puck sobered. "Bein' serious, I know. This isn't me messing around like I usually do, and this isn't even me trying to date a Jew to please my mom. She's…" Puck stopped, trying to find the words, and when he tried to start up again Finn stopped him.

"First time I've heard you talk about a girl without making 4 sex jokes in a sentence. I get it. I will beat your ass, though, if you hurt her."

"Let's roll. Karofsky's mommy will be here to get him soon."

Rachel and Puck talked later that night on the phone, but he didn't mention his 'douche intervention' as Mike had taken to calling their actions that afternoon. She would get mad and lecture him about violence and he didn't need her mad one day into their relationship.

Friday morning, when he picked her up for school, Puck looked nervous again, while today Rachel was calm as can be.

"Noah, what's wrong?" He sighed.

"My ma wanted to know why I was leaving so early. I apparently turned my brain off and told her that we were back together. I haven't seen her smile that much since… ever. She wants you to come over for dinner tonight."

"Oh, Noah! How can you be worried about that? I'd be thrilled to have dinner with your family."

"See, I know you're thinking this'll be all perfect, but she's crazy!"

"It'll be fine. Trust me." She smiled as she reached out to grab his hand. "We've handled high school, we can handle your Jewish mother."

School ended up being much calmer than the day before. The spectacle had passed, and Rachel and Puck were able to get through the day with minimal questions. Rachel was surprised, though, that when she passed Karofsky in the hall, he quickly looked away from her and turned down a different hallway. In an instant, she knew Puck had acted, but she decided to be grateful instead of upset. Besides, she didn't see any bruising on his face, so he had probably just threatened Karofsky.

Puck and the boys knew otherwise. It was pretty easy to push a guy around and keep the bruises to clothed areas. The two friends Karofsky had with him when the guys found him? The same could not be said for their faces, but Rachel wouldn't be looking at them, so Puck considered it a success all around.

After school, Rachel and Puck headed over to his house to do homework before dinner. To be honest, Rachel was planning to do homework, Puck was planning on doing about anything other than doing homework.

"Noah, isn't there some educational requirement for participation in both sports and extracurricular activities?"

"Yes, and I keep that up. I do what I have to." Knowing that she was probably approaching a losing battle, Rachel decided to let it go and began to spread out her books in front of the couch. Puck flipped on the TV and channel surfed while Rachel worked on her math. After a half hour of working, Rachel's neck was beginning to ache. She was moving it around, trying to ease the pain, when Puck reached over and began to gently rub the back of her neck. He stayed looking forward, cool as ever, not betraying that he was helping her out.

"Thank you." She said quietly and continued on with her work. Once she was done, she closed her books and scooted over to sit in the crook of Puck's arm. She didn't even pay attention to what he was watching; she was just content to sit with him for a while. The murmur of the TV lulled her, and the next thing she remembered was Puck kissing her lightly on the forehead.

"Up and at'em, Sleeping Beauty. My mom's home." Rachel slowly opened her eyes and met his.

"How long was I asleep?"

"About an hour, you seemed pretty tired so I figured you wouldn't mind." He chuckled. "You do this little half-snore thing, it was pretty cute." Rachel's jaw dropped.

"Noah Puckerman, did you just describe something as cute? I am all astonishment!" His eyes bugged out.

"If you tell anyone, I'll deny it."

"The big, bad badass has a soft side. How _cute_!" Puck grabbed her and began tickling her sides, causing her to shriek with laughter. His mother heard the sound from the kitchen and made her way in.

"Noah, behave yourself."

"Oh!" Rachel pushed Puck's hands off her, smoothed her clothes, and stood to face Mrs. Puckerman. "Hello, Mrs. Puckerman. It's nice to see you again." Puck snickered at his girlfriend's 'parent pleasing grin.'

"Hi, Rachel. Glad my son's finally figured out that he was an idiot to lose you."

"Ma!"

"Hush, Noah. Why don't you go pick your sister up from dance class while Rachel and I work on dinner?" It was Rachel's turn to laugh at Puck's panicked face.

"That sounds great." Rachel kept up that smile, and when she turned back to Puck she mouthed, "I'll be fine." He wasn't happy, but he was going to have to play along. He grabbed his keys and headed out to his truck. If he was better at math, he would have tried to figure out the odds of Rachel running out the door after 5 minutes with his mom. As it was, he was stuck picking up Abigail from stupid dance class. She was waiting by the curb when he pulled up.

"Noah! I thought mommy was gonna pick me up." She gave him a gap-toothed grin as she got in and buckled up. "Mommy said your girlfriend was coming over for dinner tonight. Is she not coming? Is that why you're here? Did she dump you already?"

"Hush up, squirt. Rachel's making dinner with mom."

"Awesome!"

"Abbie, promise me you'll be calm, okay? I'm already scared that mom's gonna freak her out."

"I'm a 10 year old girl. High school girls think I'm adorable." She said with a smile.

"Your brain scares me sometimes."

"I know." She babbled on for a while about class and how Mindy or Maggie or someone shouldn't have gotten to be in the front row for their ballet routine. Puck knew that he didn't actually have to listen, just shake his head and say yeah every now and then. Little sisters were a pain, but at least they were predictable.

They arrived home and Abbie sprinted for the door. "Hi mom! Hi Noah's girlfriend!" She shouted, running into the kitchen.

"I should have taken a nap." Puck muttered, following his sister's trail. He found her already sitting on the counter, talking with Rachel.

"I'm Abigail Elizabeth Puckerman." She said sticking her hand out.

"It's very nice to meet you, Abigail. I'm Rachel Barbara Berry."

"Of course your middle name's Barbara." Puck laughed.

"My fathers have always had big dreams for me." Rachel said with pride.

"Help me set the table, Abbie." Mrs. Puckerman ordered her daughter. Once they were out of the room, Puck pulled Rachel close.

"You survived."

"Are you that afraid of your mother or do you have that little faith in me?" She ran her hand along his cheek, attempting to soften his frown. "We had a lovely talk and that's all you get to know." He began to object, but she silenced him instantly with a kiss. Just as Puck began to deepen the kiss, he heard giggling behind him.

"Mommy says to come to the table now."

"Thanks, squirt." He took Rachel's hand and led her to the dining room. "Are your dads expecting you home at some point?"

"I informed them that I would be here for the evening. My curfew is 11."

"Cool, 'cause we got plans after dinner."

Dinner went well, and Puck's mother was thankfully very calm. She asked about Rachel's family, as she had met Rachel the last time she and Puck dated, but they hadn't really gotten a chance to talk. Rachel asked Abbie about dance and school and what music she liked. Puck was sure that after tonight, Rachel would be Abbie's hero. Rachel, being the polite (or suck up, Puck would say) girl that she was offered to help with the dishes, but Mrs. Puckerman shooed them away. Puck grabbed his keys and told her that they were going out for a while.

"If you're planning on throwing me into another pool, I'm vetoing this trip right here." Rachel said as Puck helped her up into the truck.

"No pools this time. I got a few more tricks, though." Rachel turned the radio and smiled as one of her new favorites started playing. Puck shook his head as she sang along.

"I'm always surprised when you know pop music. I figured all you listen to is Broadway and Celine and that stuff."

"While I do have an affinity for soundtracks and classical pop, there is a plethora of modern music that both interests me and allows me to expand my repertoire."

"That's pretty cool. When you did 'Gives You Hell', that was way badass, babe." Rachel laughed.

"I was quite proud of myself that day. What about you, Noah? What music do you like?"

"I guess I'm kinda like you, minus the Broadway. I like modern stuff, but the oldies are good too. You know, like 'Sweet Caroline'." He was happy to see the smile that lit her face.

"What do you know? I like that song too."

"My mom used to listen to Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack stuff when we were younger, and I've always kinda loved that too, since it was always playing. After my dad… she stopped playing it for a while, and I stopped too, but with Glee and stuff I've started to listen again."

"You know, if you like Frank Sinatra, you'd like Michael Bublé. He's one of my favorites and he redoes the classics."

"How about tomorrow I come over and we can do some music swapping? I'll play nice and listen to Broadway if you'll hear some rock and rap?"

"I love that idea, Noah." Puck pulled into a parking lot and Rachel looked around. "What are we doing at the elementary school?"

"You'll see." Puck reached back and grabbed a blanket from behind his seat and hopped out. He walked around quickly to help Rachel down and then let her around the school. "I used to come here a lot either alone or with the guys when we were younger. One time we all told our parents we were at each others' houses and then brought camping stuff out here. We made it about an hour before we started freezing our asses off and went back to Finn's garage." They had walked around past the back playground and out into the field. It was pitch dark, and as Puck had predicted earlier, the sky was clear. He laid the blanket down, smoothed it out, and sat down. He pulled Rachel down to sit between his legs and he wrapped an arm around her waist. She leaned back into him, letting her head rest on his shoulder.

"I like it out here."

"Well, considering you like stars so much…" Puck trailed off. They didn't talk for a while, first simply sitting together, and then Puck turned her around and kissed her. Here there were no moms and sisters to interrupt them or classmates to judge them. Here they were free, and they enjoyed every moment. They lost track of time, kissing and exploring, until Rachel pulled back.

"Noah…" Her voice was breathy as her eyes met his and Puck was alarmed to see fear in them. He realized that, unconsciously, his fingers were just under the hem of her sweater.

"Rach, I…"

"I don't want you to be mad, I…" He cut her off.

"Not at all. I'm not gonna push you. I know that St. Prick did a number on you, and considering his freaking agenda I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't want to be _around_ guys, much less do anything else."

"We didn't sleep together." She blurted out, to Puck's surprise. "I was mad at Finn, and he said he was going to sleep with Santana and… it was horrible but I wanted to hurt him. I'm so glad I said no to Jesse now, since he was playing me."

"Either way, I wasn't thinking." He leaned his forehead against hers. "You're different than my past girls in the best of ways, and I'm not the same guy in good ways too. We're gonna work, and I'll be damned if I screw this up with something so worthless." He met her eyes again, and saw something completely different now. He saw pride.

"You amaze me, Noah Puckerman, and I pity the people who don't know how remarkable you are." He pulled her close again and they watched the stars for a bit longer, before Puck noticed it was time to get Rachel home. Like the gentleman he was trying to be, he walked her to her door and told her he'd bring her school things over tomorrow when he came for their music date. He gave her a gentle kiss and headed out. Rachel watched from inside until his truck was out of sight. She felt dizzy again, the good kind of dizzy, and she couldn't wait until tomorrow.

**I think the Glee writers and I are on the same wavelength, since I wrote the boys heading out to take down Karofsky just minutes before I watched tonight's episode! The egging scene was one of the most painful things I've seen! I no longer feel any guilt in making Jesse a bad guy. And I love that Puck was ready to go fight for Rachel. They're making him so much of a better character, and that makes me quite happy. Sorry for the delay, and I'll try to crank these out faster.**


	10. Maybe

**Have I mentioned how much I love my reviewers? My day is made every time I see a new one. I am currently resisting the urge to write a oneshot that came to my mind last night until I get this chapter done, but I will tell that it'll be a songfic to Hinder's "Without You" and have some more Jesse bashing by our favorite couple. For now, enjoy Saturday and Sunday. And, as much as some of my wonderful reviewers have been asking, there will be trouble ahead. I'm sorry! Trust me, though. It'll be worth it.**

_I don't need a life that's normal  
That's way too far away  
But something next to normal  
Would be okay  
Yeah, something next to normal  
That's the thing I'd like to try  
Close enough to normal  
To get by_

"Okay, now you two are going to be nice, right?" Rachel had her dads sitting on their family room couch and was lecturing them as if they were the children.

"We've never not been nice to anyone you've had over." Rachel's dad, Marcus, replied with a laugh.

"Within 5 minutes of Jesse coming over you criticized his school, his music, his singing ability, his hair, and his clothes!"

"Only two of those were to his face." Daddy, Jonathan, argued. "And look what he's done since then. We just had great powers of prediction. We Berrys are a little bit psychic."

"Please? Noah is a bit skittish, though he'd never admit it or want me to use that word. He doesn't have a lot of people that believe in him."

"Ok, sweetheart, we will attempt to keep our comments to ourselves, but that's all I will promise."

"If that's the best I can get, I will take it. Now, we will be listening to music in my room. I want you to remember that Noah has been in my room before and nothing indecent happened. Therefore, there will be no standing outside my door listening, randomly barging in, or made up excuses to frequently come in." Her dads turned to each other, and after a short conversation expressed with eyebrows and mouth twitches, they had made their decision.

"That's fine, Rachel, but we are trusting you." Marcus answered. "And, we would like to get to actually meet him before you head upstairs."

"I mean, for Pete's sake, you've dated this boy once already and all we managed to get a view of was a flash of Mohawk."

"I'm open to that." The doorbell rang and Rachel felt her heart speed up suddenly. She opened the door and laughed a little at Puck standing with her pink, rolling backpack.

"That's right, I'm badass enough to pull off a pink backpack."

"I'm so lucky." She stopped him with a wave of her hand. "My fathers would like to be introduced to you. They will be kind, they promised me. Stay calm and it will all be fine." She whispered his instructions in a hurry and then led him in. "Dad, Daddy, this is Noah Puckerman. I believe you may have seen him around temple. Noah, this is my Dad, Marcus, and my Daddy, Jonathan." Her dads came over to the door and both shook hands with him.

"Nice to meet you, sir…s." Noah finished awkwardly. Marcus smirked and Jonathan laughed.

"Nice to meet you, too, Noah." Marcus offered.

"Rachel's told us so much about you." Jonathan supplied with a knowing glance. Puck looked at Rachel with alarm.

"I could only hide the dry cleaning for so long." She said with a shrug.

"Okay, so I majorly screwed up with that, but I haven't slushied anyone in a while and I feel really bad about that now and…"

"It's okay Noah." Jonathan said, patting his arm. "We've actually been expecting this for a while. We always figured it was the new way to pull a girl's pigtails or something."

"Anyway, we're going to be working in the backyard for a bit. If you'd like anything to eat or drink, feel free to raid the kitchen." Marcus smiled at them and then pulled his husband to the back doors.

"Your dads are actually kinda cool." Puck laughed.

"You doubted?" Rachel sneaked a peek to make sure her fathers were out of sight and then pulled Puck in for a kiss. When she pulled back, she had a bright smile on her face. "Hi."

"Hi." She grabbed her backpack from him and they both made their way up to her room. "So, Abbie won't stop talking about you. She asked if you would be her babysitter because you're apparently way cooler than her last one."

"And who was that?"

"Me." Rachel started going through her CDs while Puck took a seat on the bed.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure you're still the coolest older brother."

"Damn straight." Rachel put a CD in the player and sat next to Puck.

"Since we're at my house, I'm going to begin first with your Broadway edification." The music started playing and they both leaned back to lay against her pillows. Puck, being the suave badass that he was, slipped his arm around her shoulder and in return she curled into him. She then began to explain the musical they were listening to. Puck clearly took a lot from it.

"So it's about a shitty family falling apart?"

"No, it's more than that. It's about figuring out who they are within the family but also who they are individually and challenging the 'normal' family ideal."

"And finding out who she is requires the chick to take drugs? I'm kinda shocked you like this."

"It's strangely beautiful." They listened to a few more songs, with Puck even liking a few of them, before Puck decided it was time to change it up. He popped in a CD and rejoined her. The first song began to play and Rachel jumped. "Have I done something to offend this band or are they angry at everyone?"

"You've never heard screamo?" He asked with a laugh.

"No!"

"Good, I put it on here as a joke." He clicked the controller to the next song. Rachel found that she liked many of the rock songs that Puck had brought, but try as he might he could not win her over to rap.

While they listened, Rachel let her mind wander a little (she was still listening, she swore!). She would have never guessed even days ago that dating Noah Puckerman would be this calm and this… well frankly this non-sexual. Don't get her wrong, when his fingers brushed her skin and when he kissed her, she had a hard time remembering her name. But here, simply being together, was so strange and yet so right. It didn't seem to be what couples their age did though.

"Is this normal?" Rachel asked suddenly.

"What this?" 

"This, just hanging out, not _doing_ anything? While I deluded myself that Finn and I were dating, we never really spent time together outside of school, and with Jesse, half our relationship was talking on the phone because he was at the other school and the rest was practicing for Glee… and that one very awkward almost losing my virginity moment. I really don't have any dating to compare this to I guess." Puck ran a hand along his Mohawk.

"Jeez, Rach, I dunno. I haven't really had any relationships either, ya know? I mean the closest I've had was with Santana and I really don't wanna call that a relationship."

"Well, that's quite understandable. I guess I'm just curious." Puck cupped Rachel's cheek and smiled.

"Screw normal. We're us, and that's how it's gonna be. We can be what you remember as normal." He watched the wheels in Rachel's head turn for a minute before she smirked a smirk that could rival his.

"I could be fond of that." She leaned closer to him and brushed her lips against his and… his phone rang.

"Sorry." He flipped it open. "Hey, ma." He paused. "Yeah, no, that's no problem. I get it… Yes I will tell her that. Okay." The sound that came from Puck was some cross between a sigh and a growl. "My ma's a nurse and there was a giant pileup and their calling all hands. She said to tell you that she's sorry, but I need to babysit, and as much as she trusts you, I can't have you over." She had to smile at his pout.

"It's fine, Noah. Go." He grabbed his CD out of the player and they began to make their way to the front door. "I have plans to see The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling be in Columbus tomorrow. We're spending the day there… We frequently participate in Daddy Daughter Dates that incorporate our mutual love of theatre with familiar bonding."

"So in normal people words you're booked tomorrow?"

"Yes." It was her turn to pout.

"Well then, I'll have to be one of those annoying people who send tons of texts during a show."

"Noah, I would never check my cell phone during a show!" She said, scandalized. He laughed and pulled her close.

"Of course you wouldn't, babe, and I wouldn't do that because it would bug you. I will text you up until the show, however."

"I look forward to it." He leaned down and kissed her, wanting to deepen it and take his time but knowing that he had to leave.

"She owes me big." Puck said, pulling away and walking out to his truck. Just as she had last night, Rachel watched until he drove away, and then headed to the backyard to tell her fathers they were allowed back inside.

**A few things. I re-watched 'Funk' and, when the club is cleaning up the toilet paper, Brittany is clearly trying to put it back on the roll. I wasn't really planning on writing her into this story, but I might have to just because she's so great. Also, when Sandy asks if they changed the name to Losers'n'Things, Finn checks his tag. I feel like that picture needs a caption that says "And this is why I ship Puckleberry." Finally, Puck is still incredibly hot when he gets the guys together to take down Jesse. I'm off to reward myself with a one-shot. Yes, I award myself for writing with more writing.**


	11. Interlude

**Again, I love every single one of you that review! Thank you for giving me another awesome weekend. So, this is going to be one more different chapter, introducing our last primary character. She's already made an appearance, but it's time she had her own say in the matter. It's Monday, school's back in, and Quinn is going to narrate the day. Also, the song I'm using from NTN is "Prelude" which is like a 30 second instrumental, but the sound of it is how this chapter goes (if that makes any sense at all). Since this is not the beginning of the story, however, I'm calling this chapter "Interlude".**

Quinn Fabray was a lot smarter than many assumed she was. Well, save for that whole "sleeping with Noah Puckerman" thing. To this day, though, she'd chalk that up to the wine coolers and Finn liking Rachel.

Rachel Berry. Once upon a time Quinn hated her, and while Rachel had never been able to figure out why, it was very simple. Rachel wasn't afraid to be herself. Sure, at times she was obnoxious and abrasive, she got slushied by the jocks and cast out by the cheerleaders, but she never gave up. Most losers cracked under pressure in a week.

Quinn had noticed Rachel the beginning of freshman year, when she had become the female lead in the almost non-existent Glee club. The girl had a powerhouse of a voice, though, as she had learned when Rachel had sung the National Anthem at a football game. Sadly, it was that same game that got her noticed by the jocks, and the slushie treatment had begun the next Monday.

From that day on, though, she was watched by a lot of the guys. Sure, they tormented her, but she had heard enough on the field to know that Rachel Berry was thought of as hot. Quinn had felt like a nobody until she made the squad, and then she was noticed for the uniform first and her face second. When Ally Newarski fell off the pyramid and broke her ankle, Quinn went out for captain and got the position. In an instant, she was queen of the school, and rumor was that Finn Hudson, upcoming quarterback and shoe-in for captain next year, had a crush on her.

She waited for him one day outside the locker room, figuring the sooner she snagged him the sooner her reign would be established. She heard Finn and his friend Puck talking from the door, and Puck was talking about Rachel. It was pretty lewd, but that was Puck. When Finn voiced his agreement, however, Quinn stormed off. In truth, she really hoped that they didn't talk about her like they did Rachel, but at the same time, the girl was a freak and they noticed her.

It wasn't until Rachel started being kind to her that Quinn realized just how great Rachel was. Even after the nicknames, the taunting, the pornographic pictures in the stalls (Quinn hadn't drawn them, but she hadn't stopped Santana either), and Quinn having not one but both of the guys that Rachel had pursued, Rachel had extended a hand of friendship. She had even given her advice about Mrs. Puckerman and dealing with Jewish observances and traditions.

After the 'Run, Joey, Run' incident, Quinn had known what she needed to do. Puck had come home from filming the video and had talked her ear off about how stupid it was and how it had been a bad idea and then he had started muttering about her stupid tool of a boyfriend and something about a mask and sitting on her bench. They watched the wreck of a video in Glee and he had talked again as they left the room about looking like an idiot, but the muttering began again and she swore she heard something about Finn wrapping his freakishly long arms around her. Good Lord in Heaven, Puck was hung up on Rachel Berry. She let a second pass, bemoaning that Rachel had won over another guy, but then she remembered how nice Rachel had been.

As she sat through Spanish, not paying attention to Mr. Schue at all, she thought about her situation. After dating-but-not-actually-dating Rachel, Finn had approached her, wanting to talk. He realized just how much he had screwed up with her, and wanted to be honest about everything else that was going on. The first day they didn't talk much, and the next they ended up yelling at each other, but by the end of the week they were honestly talking about what went wrong and how they ended up here.

Nothing was going to change Quinn's situation, not matter who she was friends with or dating. Until she had the baby, she would be a pariah in this school. Her and Finn agreed to be friends, as even pursuing something right now would be a train wreck, but she had hope for the future. Puck… he had hope too. But not with her. She laughed a little as she thought out her next move. She was going to have to be the bitch she once was. She would have to make Puck so angry that he wouldn't want to come back to her. And, since Rachel and Jesse were over, she was free as well. Next period was free period, so Rachel would be in the auditorium, the choir room, or the practice room. There were some variables, but if anyone could make this work, it was Quinn.

So, she dragged Puck to the auditorium and told almost the complete truth, and he took it just as she had predicted. And the rest, as they say, was history. By the end of the day, Puck and Rachel were dating and Quinn had officially improved the lives of two people. She felt that her obligation for Christian love was satisfied for quite a while.

It was Monday now, and they had almost been dating a week. Quinn watched as they walked into school, hand in hand, and she wondered why she hadn't seen this Puck before. Sure, he'd been kinda sweet to her with regards to the baby, but she had never seen him like this in a dating aspect. It was a surprising outcome to her plan, but definitely a good one. Rachel hadn't smiled like that in a while, either.

One of Quinn's habits was to walk through the halls with her earphones in. What people didn't know, however, was that she didn't actually have music on. If they thought she couldn't hear, they wouldn't lower their voices, and she could keep up on the gossip. There was still a little time before classes began, so she decided to take a walk to Finn's locker, say good morning, and catch up on the news.

"I don't know, it just started itching…" Oh gracious, she did not want to hear more of that conversation.

"We only have a few weeks 'til Nationals and Coach Sylvester hasn't picked our final routine." Poor Cheerios, competition was all they could think about. It was strange, though, that they weren't practicing their routine into the ground. Maybe Sue was focusing a little _too_ much on the destruction of the Glee club.

"So when are you going back?"

"I'm here until the end of the week."

"That should work." It took Quinn a moment to realize that she had heard Jesse and Santana talking. Huh, that girl would have sex with anything with a pulse. Well, she hoped that a pulse was one of the requirements… blech!

Finn was leaning against his locker when she found him. He was watching the goings-on in the hallway, as she had been doing.

"Do you kinda feel like we're in a scene from that Twilight thing?" He asks, watching Rachel and Puck.

"The vampire movies?"

"No, that show where everything's weird and twisted."

"Twilight Zone?"

"That's it."

"Yes, I can see that. But it's kind of sweet, you know?"

"Yeah."

Throughout the day, Quinn kept an eye on Puck and Rachel. Most of the gossip had faded, but a few of Puck's old girls were still keeping their eyes on them. They'd move on in time.

She overheard Puck and Rachel one time as she walked behind them, and it made her even more sure of her decision to push Puck.

"My fathers kept telling me things to text you. I swear, the school's already entrenched in our relationship and now my fathers think they're a part of it."

"I think your dads are the first dads that have liked me."

"Well, given that most fathers have been introduced to you by seeing you vault out of their daughters' windows…" Quinn laughed along with Rachel, but quiet enough that they wouldn't hear her listening in.

"I wanna argue with you… but I can't." Quinn watched Rachel observe Puck, and she saw the mix of pride and regret.

"All I know is that I found it quite badass that you remembered the name of the show and asked me about it afterwards. You're a wonderful boyfriend, Noah." He beamed and Quinn was almost taken aback. Who knew the Noah side of him was so happy and light? Rachel had really seen something that no one else had.

At the end of the day, Quinn was on her way out when she saw Santana and Jesse talking again. With her headphones in, she stalled at the drinking fountain to listen in.

"So tomorrow then?" Santana asked. Ugh, hookup plans.

"Bright and early." Wait, what?

"Him or her?"

"Him. He won't see me coming."

"See ya then." Whatever they were planning, it didn't sound good. In fact, from what little she heard, Quinn felt worried for whoever they had in their sights. It crossed her mind for a moment that it could be Puck and Rachel, but it seemed too easy. Santana had passed on Puck long ago, and Jesse had dumped Rachel and was transferring schools again. They were past all that. Right?

**See, I told you I liked Quinn. She gets to be one of the good guys! Also, the first hallway conversation Quinn overheard, I for real overheard when I was in high school. I had paused my music for one second and was like "NO! MY EARS!" I cranked my music from then on, because hallways are disturbing places. Hope you liked Quinn's POV, we'll be back to Rachel and Puck next time, but it'll be tomorrow and Santana and Jesse begin their plan. Ruh-roh!**


	12. Just Another Day

**I feel so accomplished! I made Rachel Berry "I'm Sorry" Style cookies tonight, and put the names of all the New Directions members on them. I'm such a nerd! I brought those to my friends and my Glee party along with slushies and it was awesome! There's so much to say about the finale, including a moment that I think the writers stole from my brain (I'll let ya know), but for now, I want to get back to writing. Santana and Jesse begin their attack… dun dun DUN! **

_Cause what doesn't kill me doesn't kill me  
So fill me up for just another day.  
It only hurts when I breathe.  
It only hurts when I try.  
It only hurts when I think  
It only hurts when I cry.  
It only hurts when I work.  
It only hurts when I play.  
It only hurts when I move.  
It only hurts when I say,  
It's just another day_

Tuesday morning, Rachel drove herself to school early. She wanted to run an idea by Mr. Schue and practice a new piece she had received. She didn't know what their assignment would be, but it was good to be prepared. Puck was a big fan of his sleep, so she told him to sleep in and that she'd see him at a more "normal" time. She made her way to the choir room, but was saddened to find that Mr. Schue wasn't around. His office door was open and the light was on, but he was nowhere to be seen. She didn't dwell long and decided that he'd be back soon, so it was best to begin her morning warm ups.

While she worked on her scales, Santana walked by the choir room, heard Rachel singing, and decided to stop in.

"Trying too hard this early, RuPaul?"

"Good morning to you too, Santana."

"Somebody's a happy clam." Santana circled to the other side of the piano to face Rachel.

"My day has yet to be affected, so yes, I am content." Santana narrowed her eyes and looked at the girl.

"Perky…happy… ready to face the world. You gave it up to Puck, didn't you Treasure Trail?" Rachel's jaw dropped.

"While Noah and my personal relationship is absolutely none of your business, I will assure you that I am in high spirits for many other reasons. Not all relationships, especially the strong ones, are built around sexual activities."

"Said like a true virgin." Rachel couldn't stop the blush that reached her cheeks. "Yeah, like anyone believed you and St. James did the deed. The look on his face was frustrated as the day is long. I'm not surprised, though. You talk a big game, but you're just a scared little puppy."

"Santana, I believe…"

"Save your speeches and take it from a real woman, Puck's a talker too. Let me guess, he said he wouldn't push you and he respects you and a lot of other sap that you'd find just wonderful. Use that head full of big words. He managed to talk the Christian Queen of the Celibacy Club into sleeping with him. Players know how to play, and he likes a challenge, so he's gonna play you 'til you crack. Unless he gets bored first, and comes to find someone like me."

"This is ridiculous, Santana, you're just angry because after Quinn pushed him away he didn't go to you."

"I speak from experience, Man Hands, and you wanna know how I know? Because sweet little Finnocence lied to you. He got sick of waiting on you and, while he may have told you he was waiting, I totally took his V-card." Rachel was stunned. While she didn't want to pursue a romantic relationship with Finn anymore, she still could not believe he would lie to her and make her feel so horrible.

"He wouldn't… he said…"

"Word's gotten around, ask anyone who's actually important and you'll hear the truth. It may shatter your Disney view of the world, but people lie and have sex with the hot cheerleaders. Puck's no different, and the sooner you know that he'll let you down, the sooner you'll start living in the real world." Santana turned on her heel and headed for the door. "Have a sunshine-y day." She called out as she left.

Rachel pushed through and finished her vocal warm-ups, but her heart wasn't in it. Mr. Schue never came back in, and she finally decided to leave and meet Puck at his locker, as she said she would. As she walked down the hall, she saw him leaning against his locker, staring off. He turned his head and as he saw her, he smiled, and the sick feeling Rachel had in her stomach went away.

"What do you know? That beauty sleep worked." She joked as she reached him.

"Oh, look who's so funny." He poked at her sides until she laughed and then pulled her close. "You know you missed me this morning. I bet you spent the whole time thinking about how you should have just come to school with me." Rachel had to admit, the thought had crossed her mind, but for totally different reasons.

"Of course, I spent all morning thinking about my stud boyfriend and his muscular arms."

"I thought so." As they headed off to their classes, he asked her about how her morning went and she skirted around it. Santana just needed to get over her ego and move on.

In Glee, Mr. Schue gave them an assignment to sing a song about where they were in their life and/or what they wanted in the future. Rachel sighed, knowing that her suggestion would have been better, but now that the assignment had been given, what more could she do.

Puck snoozed his way through science, since they were watching a decaying filmstrip about fish and where and how they lay eggs, which was totally not interesting. As the bell rang, he shook himself awake and headed for the door.

"Looks like you're really pushing for an A there, Puckerman." Puck turned to see Jesse standing behind him. Huh, he had forgotten that St. Tool was in his class.

"We all can't be the class suck-up."

"Funny, your girlfriend seemed to think that academic diligence was an admirable trait."

"You know what, St. James? What you think doesn't mean shit because you two are done and she's happy with me."

"For now. How long do you think you two will make it, honestly? The overachiever girl and the wrong side of the tracks boy only work together in poorly scripted, teenage genre movies. The ones that tank at the box office."

"Screw you, I got places to be."

"How long until she figures out that you aren't enough for her? I mean, I'm as high maintenance as she is, and we fell apart in a matter of weeks. She dumped you before and once you're out of her system, she'll dump you again."

"How long until you're gone from my school and not bugging the shit out of me?" Puck walked out the door, but Jesse wasn't done yet.

"I bet you're eating lunch in the auditorium, spending free period in the practice rooms, using up as much time as possible in places where she can rehearse? Rachel Berry will not stop until she's a star and she won't let anyone hold her back. You're an obstacle waiting to be passed, and one that she'll pass easily if it means getting her dreams." Puck had reached his locker, and he grabbed his lunch out and headed for the auditorium, where Rachel was waiting for him. "Trust me, Puck, I'm living it. When you want to be a star, you drop everything for what you want. I came here because I thought with my talent and Rachel's voice, I could cause an upset at Regionals, win, become famous off the press of my switching sides, and continue on in glory. I want to win, though, so I'm leaving. Just like she'll leave." Jesse finally let up and walked away, letting Puck's mind turning with those thoughts.

During free period, as he sat listening to Rachel sing in the practice room, her eyes met his and she actually missed a key on the piano as she smiled at him. He expected her to get frustrated, but instead she laughed, made a joke about how he didn't need anything else to add to his ego, and she began playing again.

Jesse had no idea what he was talking about.

**I'm gonna tell you now, because it was my one frustration tonight, that Jesse will get his comeuppance here. I wanted there to be something, anything to take him down another peg tonight, but instead he got everything he wanted. Yes, maybe that's realistic, but I don't watch TV for realistic. I watch for awesomeness, which there was a plethora of with the episode (including lots of Puck solos, whoot!). One more little spoiler, angst ahead. But it'll be worth it, I promise!**


	13. I Am the One

**Hi, I have a lot of I'm sorries. I'm sorry this took so long, I was getting my sisters and mom packed for a trip and it was crazy and I'm jealous of them at the moment, but it's a great trip for them all the same. Second, I'm sorry if you're unhappy after the next few chapters. Know that to get to the light at the end of the tunnel, you have to go through the tunnel.**

_I am the one who knows you  
I am the one who cares  
I am the one who's always been there  
I am the one who's helped you  
And if you think that I just don't give a damn  
Then you just don't know who I am_

Wednesday during free period found Rachel and Noah in the practice room again. Rachel had been trying to find the perfect song for their Glee assignment, but she had yet to find one that she could accept. Puck had offered to play guitar for her so that she could focus on the songs and not playing piano. They took a break and Rachel sat down next to Puck.

"You're an excellent performer, Noah. Given Finn's limited attention and your talent, you could easily become the male lead of New Directions."

"If I take one more thing from Finn, he'll kill me." He laughed.

"Then you could share it. I'd enjoy singing with you."

"Really, it's fine."

"Why not?"

"'Cause it's not a big deal to me. I sing when I feel like it, and I don't need every song good or crappy pushed on me." Rachel noticed that he had gone from joking to agitated, so she backed off.

"I feel that Mr. Schue's assignment was far too vague. I haven't even decided if I want to do a song about the present or the future. Besides, I don't believe there's any song that could thoroughly encompass the range of emotions I feel regarding the present or future. This is quite frustrating."

"How do you see the future?" Puck asked.

"Well, that's a complex answer."

"How so?"

"I have eighteen different contingency plans for how, where, and when I will be discovered. I don't really know exactly what my future will be, I just know where I want to end up. Everything else is a jumbled mix of variables that will hopefully fall into place."

"Am I one of those variables?" Rachel paused, and Puck could see her biting her lower lip.

"People aren't really the variables. I've learned… I…" She sighed. "People tend to come and go in my life."

"Rachel…"

"I don't mean that against you, it's my fault." They sat in awkward silence for a bit, neither really looking at each other.

"I don't want to be a performer, you know. I like singing and playing guitar, but it'll never be more than a hobby. I guess I wonder where I'd fit in."

"Life's not some perfect puzzle where pieces fit together perfectly, Noah. It's like the ocean, always changing and flowing every which way. There's no way to tell what's going to happen next and every moment changes things. You know that I care for you, and that's where I am right now and I'm happy. But this is also who I am, who I've always been."

"My dad was a singer, you know. Wanted to be a rock star but the best he got was open mic gigs at local bars. Didn't stop him, though."

"Noah, please, I'm not saying…"

"I know, Rachel." He stood up, leaned his guitar against the wall, and sighed. "I'm not mad, it's just something I gotta work through, okay?" He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. Grabbing his guitar, he headed for the door. "I'll see you after school." Rachel didn't even have time to react. She just sat there, hoping that she hadn't scared someone else away.

_Hey dad, it's me._

_Why can't you see_

_And wonder why?_

_Are you waiting? Are you wishing? Are you wanting all that she can't give?_

_Are you hurting? Are you healing? Are you hoping for life to live?_

_Well so am I_

Puck sat on the stage, mindlessly strumming his guitar. He had decided to skip his last class, because honestly he didn't give a shit about it right now. This had all hit him so quickly that he had to stop and clear his head. He hated that Jesse's words had gotten to him.

He knew that he was expecting a lot with only one real week of dating and one week of a somewhat relationship in the past. At the same time, though, he might as well know what her thoughts were. Rachel truly wanted to be a star, that was obvious, and that didn't mean she'd be like his dad was. People did mean a lot to her, he could see it in how fiercely she protected them, even when they didn't return the favor. Of course, that had set up how she felt now. She had been let down so many times that it was understandable that she didn't depend on them anymore. But could she ever let someone be that close to her?

Puck was knocked out of his thoughts by the stage door opening behind him. He saw her walk in, and turned back to his guitar as she made her way over.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He heard her ask.

"Yeah, like you have anything less than a twenty on you, Santana."

"You know me so well." She wandered over and sat down. "I haven't seen you this thoughtful since those two freshman Cheerios were fighting for your attention."

"If you're gonna be a smart ass, you can leave."

"Puck, for real, we're kind of friends, right? You don't have Finn to talk to, and you look like you've got a lot on that little mind of yours. Talk." He thought for a second, wondering if this was the best idea. He could use someone to vent to.

"Well…"

**Don't hate me, please. Remember that they're two pretty messed up teens in a very new relationship and that every couple has their problems. It's gonna be bumpy, but worth it, okay?**


	14. I Am the One Reprise

**And again I say I love my reviewers! I love my readers as well, which I haven't said enough, so know that every visitor I see on my story traffic page makes me do a somewhat awkward yet adorable happy dance. I updated fast because a) we're getting to the juicy stuff and b) like ripping a band-aid off, sometimes you just have to get through the painful stuff.**

_I am the one who knows you.  
I am the one you fear.  
I am the one who's always been here.  
I am the one who'll heal you.  
I know you told her that I'm not worth a damn,  
But I know you know who I am_

"You know about my dad. Hell, everyone in a 20 mile radius knows about my dad. He wanted to be a rock star and that meant he couldn't have a wife and two kids dragging him down. One night he left a note that said he was sorry and booked it and we haven't heard from him since. Abbie was just 3, she couldn't remember him at all, but I do. I remember thinking he was the coolest guy, and then suddenly he didn't give a shit about me." Puck stopped for a second, thinking about how he probably sounded like Rachel right now, ranting on and on, but Santana had said to talk, so he was gonna talk. "And I asked Rachel about her future and she said that people weren't variables in her decision. She kinda has a good point because a lot of people have screwed her over before, but I guess I'm not sure if I'm up to her standards." Puck heard the bell ring, signaling the end of last period, and he knew he had to get going soon to find Rachel.

"I get what you're saying. I mean, I'm a Cheerio, we're pretty much the most ambitious group in the school. There are those that are willing to put the effort in and those willing to trip a girl to make her look bad and move up a spot." Santana paused. "Rachel seems like the type who would push the captain off the top of the pyramid." Puck laughed a little.

"She doesn't support violence."

"I didn't mean it to fit exactly. You saw what she did when Schue started taking away her solos, she quit! She came back when she thought she'd get her way, and when she didn't, she quit again."

"But then she came back."

"I'm just saying that she wants things her way, and she'll do whatever she needs to to find that path." Santana turned so she was facing Puck. "I was a bitch to you before. I dumped you for a dumbass reason, but seeing you different with Rachel made me see you're a decent guy, Puck. And, as a friend, I don't wanna see you get screwed over when she decides that she's going onward and upward. All I was thinking about was money and I dumped you. She wants fame, bright lights, the whole deal." She sighed. "You and me, we think alike. We both just want out of this town. Doesn't much matter if it's one county over or the West coast, am I right?"

"Yeah. I just don't think I'm gonna be enough for her. I mean Quinn called me a Lima Loser and she wants Finn by her side to keep her popular."

"Good enough for her? What happened to you, Puck? Where's that ego that tamed a hundred girls? And seriously, this is the same girl who you said makes you want to light yourself on fire." Puck laughed.

"She still does, in some ways. She's still the same crazy, ambitious girl. But even though she's a challenge, I kind of like it, you know?"

"You like driving yourself crazy trying to please the most high maintenance girl in the school?"

"Yeah." He smiled as he stood up, ready to go talk to Rachel.

"Wait, Puck." Santana jumped up. "I just wanted to say… I'm sorry. I'm sorry for underestimating you and treating you like shit. I was wrong."

"Damn, Lopez. Never thought I'd hear you say anything like that."

"Change happens. Embrace it." Puck was surprised when she walked forward and hugged him.

"I…" Puck started to say that he had to go get Rachel, but he was cut off by Santana suddenly kissing him. He didn't react for a moment, and then instinct kicked in. Santana was secretly thrilled when he didn't pull away. After a moment passed, she pulled back, smiling.

"Puck…"

"Shit." Puck saw a flash of brown hair and heard the side stage door screech open. He took off towards the door, hoping he'd be fast enough to catch her. "Rachel!"

**Ruh-roh, Puck made a mistake! Stick with me, it will get better… eventually. It's short, but the next few will be too. Blame it on setting them to shorter songs. Thanks for reading, and don't give up hope.**


	15. Didn't I See This Movie?

**I'm sorry! It's been an insane week, topped off with my fish dying. I am back, though, and will be trying to get back on the writing horse nice and fast. I went outside canon in this chapter. Shelby is still Rachel's mom, but her adoption agreement was more open and she has not tried to contact Rachel yet. She saw her at Sectionals and started putting the pieces together, but she did not send Jesse to meet Rachel. **

**I love how concerned you guys have been for Rachel. If only the Gleeks were that nice half the time. I don't have the heart to hold stuff over your heads, so as I've promised there will be justice and payback and all the great stuff that the finale didn't have. It's just gonna take a bit. I have every chapter planned out by song, so there is a plan, don't worry! So, here is Rachel's side of the end of the day.**

_Didn't I see this movie, where the doctor looked like you?  
Where the patient for impatient and said, "Sorry, doc, I'm through?"  
I know where this is going, and I know what you're about.  
Cause I have seen this movie and I walked out_

Rachel sat through her last class, thoroughly unable to focus. After Puck had walked out of the practice room, she had sat there until the end of free period, wondering what she could do. She couldn't change the past and the person she had become because of it.

Everything had started with her mom. When Rachel was little, she asked her dads who her mommy was and they explained that she was a talented woman who chose to give them a wonderful gift. As she got older, her fathers explained that they had asked her mom not to contact Rachel until she was 18, because they wanted to keep their family close, but that their contract allowed for her mother to ask for pictures and information starting at her 12th birthday. Rachel had anticipated the day, knowing that her mother must have so many questions. By her 13th birthday, she had given up hope that her mother wanted anything to do with her. She had never contacted Rachel's dads.

The devastation had continued in 8th grade. Rachel met Annie Kaplan, who had transferred in from New York and the two had become fast friends. Their families went to temple together, and the girls shared their love of Broadway. Well, they did for about 6 months. During the spring of 8th grade, Annie became determined to get a boyfriend, while Rachel was content to pursue her dreams and continue her training for her eventual Broadway stardom. Rachel had no problem with Annie splitting time between a friend and a boyfriend. Dave Karofsky, however, didn't like his new girlfriend's freak friend. Rachel saw Annie become more and more busy, and by the end of the year, Annie became part of the crowd that made fun of Rachel. Early that summer, Rachel had gone for a walk and stopped at the 7-11 to grab a snack before walking home. Annie, Dave, and their group of friends were there hanging out as well. When Dave cracked a joke about Annie and Rachel once being friends, Annie waited outside the door and dumped her slushie on Rachel. Annie's dad was transferred before high school began, but she had made her mark. Everyone knew about the slushie shower, and it became a rite of passage for "cool" kids to continue the harassment.

Rachel had lost two dreams in just a few years. When she heard that her mother was a talented performer, she had imagined meeting her some day and having a mentor to help her get into the business. Even if her mom wasn't a Broadway star, she would probably have a wealth of advice and experience. When the dream of her mother faded, Rachel had imagined moving to New York with Annie, who also wanted to be a performer. A friend would make the city much less lonely and the friendly competition would spur Rachel on. Instead, Rachel began her freshman year alone, with no friends, no mom, and a plethora of kids wanting to humiliate her. It was then that Rachel decided that her dreams would be based on her alone. All other people did was muddle your plans and break your heart.

The bell rang, shaking Rachel out of her reverie. She hurried out of class and to her locker, where she was hoping Puck would be waiting for her. He wasn't there. She began switching her books and taking out what she needed when she heard a voice behind her.

"Rachel?" She turned expectantly, but saw Jesse standing there instead of Puck.

"Hi, Jesse." The two hadn't talked since their break-up, and he had left that horrible note on her MySpace. Why was he talking to her?

"I was grabbing the last of my stuff from the auditorium and Puck was there. He asked if I saw you to tell you that he was finishing up, but you could meet him there."

"Thanks… I'm a little confused, though…" He cut her off.

"I was a jerk and I should grow up about this. I'm leaving, you're happy. Figured I'd help you out."

"Okay… thanks again." Rachel grabbed her bag and hurried to the auditorium. Maybe she'd talk to him later, attempt to salvage a friendship or amicable acquaintance, but for now she needed to find her boyfriend. She entered through the side door, but stopped short when she saw Puck talking with Santana.

"What happened to you, Puck? Where's that ego that tamed a hundred girls? And seriously, this is the same girl who you said makes you want to light yourself on fire." Well, this sounded good on Rachel's side so far. It seems he had been defending her.

"She still does, in some ways. She's still the same crazy, ambitious girl. But even though she's a challenge, I kind of like it, you know?" Rachel breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, she hadn't scared him away.

"You like driving yourself crazy trying to please the most high maintenance girl in the school?"

"Yeah." Puck stood up and Rachel took a few steps in, ready to make her presence known. She had a few choice words for Santana, too.

"Wait, Puck." Santana stood up to face him. "I just wanted to say… I'm sorry. I'm sorry for underestimating you and treating you like shit. I was wrong." _What is she playing at_, Rachel thought. Anyone could see that she was lying.

"Damn, Lopez. Never thought I'd hear you say anything like that." _Okay, maybe not anyone. _

"Change happens. Embrace it." Santana hugged him, and Rachel found herself contemplating violence for the first time in her life. She was ending this show and now. She walked out from the shadows just in time to see Santana kiss Puck. Rachel expected Puck to react quickly and push Santana away. Instead, she watched him settle a hand on Santana's waist and lean in. Rachel swore she felt her heart stop. She turned on her heel, pushed the door open, and ran towards the school entrance, leaving her backpack behind. She was pushing the doors open when she heard Puck calling behind her. As she got outside, she saw Jesse just getting into his car. Rachel ran to the car and opened the passenger door and saw Jesse staring at her in shock.

"I need a ride home." She said, sniffling as tears began to fall down her cheeks. Jesse didn't ask any questions, he just threw the car into reverse, pulled out of the spot, and sped off.

**These diabolical kids, causing all sorts of trouble. And if it seems a bit crazy, I can tell you from honest life experience that during my teen years, 6 people I thought were my friends teamed up to break me and my boyfriend of the time up. It was screwy, but such is life. Also, if my love for Puck wasn't already evident, I decided that he didn't start the slushie attacks, he just wanted to be cool. See, he's not a horrible person, he's just insecure! He will be redeemed, I promise.**

**Thank you for reading, and I'll let you know that the next chapter is off of a song called "The Break". It should be written very soon, because I want to get past it. Prepare yourselves now. **


	16. The Break

**Oh, my gosh you guys! I got 100 reviews! That means so much to me and, again, everyone who reads and/or reviews makes my day. I'll keep this AN short, but want to steal Puck's words. "Trust me."**

_What happens when the burn has healed when the skin has not regrown?  
What happens when the cast, at last, comes off,  
and then you find the break was always in another bone?_

_What happens if the cut, the burn, the break was never in my brain,  
or in my blood, but in my soul?_

Rachel didn't talk to Jesse on the way home. She tried to keep her tears to a minimum, as even in the direst circumstances she hated to let anyone see her cry. It had also come to her attention that she had forgotten her bag at school, so she would need to go early tomorrow to retrieve it and complete her homework. She would need to use the hide-a-key to get into the house. All these trivial things gave her a moment's rest from thinking about Puck.

Jesse pulled into her driveway and she thanked him quickly and jumped out of the car. He was a little shocked at the verbose girl's sudden silence, but for now things were working his way, so he'd leave it alone. He pulled out of the driveway and drove slowly away from the house. He stopped the car when Rachel closed the front door. Puck would be here soon, and he was hoping to see part of what went down.

As soon as the front door was closed, Rachel slid down it and let herself cry. A million questions running through her head, but all she kept asking was why. Why had he spoken to Santana in the first place? Why didn't he see that she was playing him? Why didn't he push her away?

Rachel jumped as behind her there was suddenly someone pounding on the door.

"Rachel!" She sat there for a moment, not knowing if she wanted to open the door. He knocked again. "Damn it, Rachel, open the door!" Rachel felt a fire rise in her and she turned and opened the door. Puck saw her face and it felt like he had been punched in the stomach. She looked and saw her bag resting at his feet. "Rachel, it didn't mean anything, it was just instinct."

"I don't care if it meant anything, your instinct should have been to push her away!" Puck realized that this was the first time he had ever heard Rachel shout. "Your instinct should have been not to trust her. Do you know she's been following me around all week, harassing me and telling me how she'll win you over? Telling me how I'm not good enough. You know who she is, Noah. And after all this, after how she's treated both of us, you tell her everything that's going on and then you kiss her!"

"I don't have many friends to talk to anymore, Rachel, who was I supposed to talk to?"

"Me! You left me wondering if things would work out, absolutely terrified that once again my stupid ambition for fame would make me lose someone else. And yes, I heard the end of your conversation, I know that you had made up your mind and you were defending me." Rachel took a second to breathe and wipe her face. "So there I was, thinking that things were going to be okay. Well, mostly okay, I was about ready to deck Santana, and she kisses you! There was no question in my mind that you'd push her away… and you didn't. Why, Noah?"

"I don't know why." Rachel shook her head.

"That's not an answer. Things don't just happen." She paused, taking a deep breath, and a look of resolve set itself on her face. "You said we might be perfect for each other, Noah, but I starting to think that maybe we're perfectly wrong. We both have these gigantic fears that have defined our lives and we each embody the other's fear."

"That's bullshit, Rachel, you're just scared."

"Of course I'm scared, that's the point. And why shouldn't I be when my boyfriend can't even explain why he kissed a girl?"

"Why does it even matter? It was just a stupid thing. I was leaving to find you, to fix things."

"It matters when the first thought that enters your mind wasn't that you have a girlfriend that you care about but just to go with it. I told you people aren't constants in my life and if it was that easy for her to get you to kiss her, how easily would she win you over? What would have happened next if I hadn't been there?" 

"Hey, that's not fair!" He shouted.

"Nothing about this is fair, Noah!"

"You know what? You aren't just afraid of people letting you down, you expect it. And then, when they make that one mistake, you can pat yourself on the back that you were right again, another gold star for Rachel Berry."

"And you're so afraid of people leaving you that you push them away, because if they're going to leave it might as well be fast, right? They leave, so you're never in the wrong. You always have someone else to blame."

"You know what? I don't need this shit." Puck turned and walked back to his truck. Rachel kept the door open long enough to grab her back and to hear him slam his door shut and rev his engine. As she slammed her door shut, she heard him peel off down the street.

They both were so distracted that they didn't see Jesse parked nearby. After Puck took off, Jesse pulled out his cell phone and dialed Santana's number.

"So?"

"That must have been some kiss, Lopez. I could hear them yelling from down the block." Santana laughed.

"You're too kind."

"Hardly. He just took off. I couldn't tell if there was an official 'This is over', but it was enough to work with."

"Well, he'll be finding a few choice texts coming his way tonight."

"Did the last part get taken care of?"

"He's uploading as we speak."

"Good. I'll see Rachel tomorrow night at dance class and this should all be worked out." Jesse reached over to start his car.

"So, Jesse, you got anything to do tonight?" Jesse smirked. He knew this offer would come sooner or later.

"What were you thinking?"

"Just a small victory party."

"I'll be over at 7." He closed his phone and then took off down the street the same way Puck had, but for totally different reasons. Things were really looking up.

**That hurt so much to write. I need some chocolate. Sorry for the downer, I promise this is the darkest the clouds will get. Next chap will be to "Song of Forgetting", which is such a beautiful piece. Thanks for reading and here's hoping you have chocolate around you as well.**


	17. Song of Forgetting

**Happy July everyone! I can't believe how fast this summer is going. I really was just so glad to get past the last chapter. Things will get lighter from here, I promise. This chap, Rachel's dads, Marcus and Johnathan, are back. I can't wait for them to cast Rachel's dads on Glee. So many of us write them because there's just so much that can be done with their characters. For now, this is my interpretation. Enjoy!**

_Sing a song of forgetting  
A song of the way things were not  
Sing of what's lost to you  
The time that you never knew  
Sing of not remembering when  
Of memories that go unremembered and then  
Sing a song of forgetting again_

Rachel's Dad, Marcus, was usually home during the day, since he worked from there. He had run to the store to stock up on supplies, as he expected that Noah would be around more and another guy around the house meant increasing their food supplies. He didn't see a car in the driveway when he arrived home, so he thought that Rachel might be over at Noah's house instead. He had meant to be home in case they did come over, but a long line and a woman arguing for every coupon she had hindered his homecoming. He went through the garage to drop off the groceries, and was beginning to put them away when he heard a noise by the front door. He peeked around the corner, and was shocked to see Rachel sitting on the floor by the door crying.

"Rachel!" He ran over to her. "Honey, what happened? Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm okay… I," she stopped and sniffed, "Noah and I… he…" A hiccup. "He and Santana… and then I left with Jesse… and then we fought."

"Rachel, I'm not understanding any of this. Come with me." He helped her up and then led her to the bathroom. A few tissues later, Rachel was somewhat composed and ready to try again.

"Noah and I were talking this afternoon and he was asking how he fit into my plans for the future."

"Well, I can see where the trouble started." Marcus sighed.

"You know me, Dad. And I tried to explain it and he said he wasn't mad and needed time to think and he left. I didn't know what to do but he said he needed space, so I let him go. After school I heard he was looking for me at the auditorium so I went there and he was talking with Santana."

"That cheerleader who leaves those messages on your MySpace?" He frowned. He had known about Rachel being harassed for some time, and he had tried to encourage Rachel to stand up to those girls, but at the same time, he knew how cruel high schoolers could be from his own experience. Sometimes standing up to them wasn't enough.

"Yeah and he was saying how he was okay with everything and that he could handle this. I was happy and then suddenly Santana was acting all serious and mature and he fell for it. And then," Tears began to fall again, "She kissed him and he didn't push her away. I ran and Jesse was there and he drove me home. Noah came afterwards and I was just… I was so incensed and I yelled and he yelled and… he left. He said he didn't need this and he left." Marcus pulled Rachel close and let her cry on his shoulder for a few minutes. Rachel had fallen for a number of boys, but this was the first one he'd seen her truly heartbroken over.

"Why don't I get you a glass of water?"

"Can you bring it to my room, please? I think I'd like to rest for a bit."

"Sure." Marcus headed for the kitchen while Rachel made her way upstairs. Her head was pounding and she was still wiping tears. Worst of all, though, she didn't feel like singing. Even after her mishaps with Finn and Jesse, she had a song to express how she felt. She knew enough songs to have one for every emotion, but she had nothing for abundance she was currently inundated with. Once in her room, she laid down on her bed, which was comforting for a moment until she remembered sitting in this same spot, listening to music and Noah assuring her that they were their own kind of normal, and that the rest of the world didn't matter.

Marcus arrived at Rachel's room just in time for another round of tears.

"I don't know what to do, Dad."

"Right now, crying is the right thing to do. It's okay to let things out occasionally, sweetie. I know how strong you like to be, to make sure that no one sees you flinch, but remember that you're a teenage girl with teenage emotions. You don't have to be a grown-up right now." Rachel took a sip of her water and smiled through her tears.

"Thanks, Dad."

"So, do you think this is something you two will work through?"

"I don't know. I told him that I wasn't sure we were right for each other, that our actions seem to correspond to each other's fears, and I stand by my assessment. At the same time, another part of me wants to just forget everything that happened today and go back to when things were okay. I know it can't be like that, though. That's how we got here. We just pushed the little issues and comments aside until they built up into big ones." Rachel shook her head. "One week… we made it one week."

"Well, just take some time and rest." He kissed her on the forehead and headed for the door.

"Okay, Dad." He left, leaving the door open just in case she needed him again. Rachel sipped her water as she lay back on her pillows. For a while, she tried to just breathe and allow herself to calm down. It felt good to clear her mind and focus not on the issues of life, but just the rhythm of her breathing.

When she was feeling better, Rachel got up and went through her usual after school routine. She retrieved her bag from where she had left it downstairs and finished her daily schoolwork quickly. She then logged on to MySpace to check for any new comments. To her dismay, she saw that Jacob Ben-Israel had left a comment for her: _Rachel, you always make for a beautiful headline. Let me know if I can be of any assistance._ Headline? Though Rachel hated Jacob's obsession with her, she had his website bookmarked so that she could keep an eye on the gossip he was posting about her. She clicked the link and instantly understood his comment.

**Trouble in Paradise: Puckleberry Falls Apart**

** While I was waiting for the jocks to leave after school, as they like to get in one more dumpster dunk before they leave, I was privy to a scene that I could not help but film.**

Rachel clicked on the video and watched as it showed her running past. A moment later, Puck ran past calling for her. The video continued with Puck coming back inside after Rachel had left. He slammed his fist against a locker, yelling "Damn it!" The camera panned and Santana walked out of the auditorium.

"Puck, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"Just go." Puck walked back towards the auditorium and the clip ended. That must have been when he grabbed her backpack.

**Who knows what happened between Santana and Puck, but I can tell you that my lovely Rachel does not cry over much. Looks like Puck is back to his old ways, whether he likes it or not. I'll try to get more info and let you all know.**

Living the moment was one thing, but watching it play out in front of her, Rachel felt sick. She stared at the screen, not even sure what to do next. Right then, there was a knock at the door.

"Sweetheart?"

"Hi, Daddy." He came over and wrapped an arm around his daughter.

"Your Dad told me what happened. I'm sorry." He peeked at her screen, recognizing the screen from Jacob's blog. "Is Jacob harassing you again?"

"Not really… he got a video of Noah and I leaving school. Everyone will know, which seems like a superb addition to my situation."

"Well, if Jacob crosses a line again, let me know and I will talk with his mother at temple… again. As for Noah…"

"Right now, Noah and I need to be apart. The issues brought up today are ones that cannot be pushed aside. We each have issues to work through separately before we can be together. So that's my final decision."

"I think that is a good decision for the moment. But Rachel, also remember that he is a teenage boy, less mature than you, who is facing issues that he maybe hasn't thought through as much as you have."

"I understand. I'm not ruling out repairing things with Noah… honestly I need a little time to be immature and upset." She smiled, acknowledging a running joke between her and her fathers about her slowing down and accepting being a teenager.

"You're a wonderful, intelligent girl, Rachel, and I couldn't ask for a better daughter. You'll let me know if you need to talk?"

"Yes, Daddy. Thank you." He left to join his husband downstairs, both of them unsure of how the next few days would be for their daughter. At times, it would be nice for Rachel to have a woman she could go to, someone who had lived through similar circumstances. Rachel was strong, though, and if anyone could work their way through heartbreak blindly, it was her.

Rachel was currently upstairs, standing by her closet, picking out her clothes for the next day. If she was going to make it through this relatively unscathed, she would need to look composed and strong. A little part of her knew that, even though Puck had seen her cry before, she didn't want him to see her shaken again.

It didn't end up mattering, though, because he didn't show up to school the next day.

**Hmm… where is Puck? You'll find out, I promise. The next chapter will be "You Don't Know (Reprise)" and following Puck after he leaves Rachel's house. See you soon! **


	18. I Dreamed a Dance

**Okay, so I lied about this chapter. I was trying to write, but I had no inspiration, and I realized that the chapter would be short and filler and mostly just angry!Puck, which I can deal with in a more comprehensive chapter. That one took me days to try to write, and when I started writing this one it took me only hours. So, this chapter is going to be following Rachel Thursday at school and then after to ballet class. Puck will be back, and you will get the whole story behind where he is, in the next chapter. I promise.**

_I saw you light the ballroom  
With your sparkling eyes so blue  
Graceful as an angel's wing  
I dreamed a dance with you_

You whispered slyly, softly  
You told me you would be true  
We spun around a thousand stars  
I dreamed a dance with you

I know the night is dying dear  
I know the day will dawn  
The dancers may disappear  
Still the dance goes on  


Rachel could feel the eyes on her when she walked into school alone on Thursday. Heads turned to watch her walk down the hallway to her locker. After a moment of observation, the whispers began too.

"It was just a matter of time…"

"Serves her right for trying to date Puck…"

"Santana talked some sense into him…"

"Has anyone seen Puck?"

When she reached her locker, Rachel pulled out her iPod and popped the earbuds in. If the rest of the day was going to be anything like the beginning, she was going to need to drown everyone out. When she felt someone tap her shoulder, she feared that the harassment was about to turn physical. She turned and found, however, that it was Tina standing next to her.

"Hi Rachel. I want to… I guess I wanted to see if you were okay." She said with a shy smile. Rachel was shocked silent for a moment.

"Thank you, Tina. I don't really know how I am, to tell you the truth."

"I understand. After Artie and I fought, I felt the same way." Tina laughed a little and continued. "This sounds a little like first grade, but you can sit by me in Glee today if you want." Rachel smiled for the first time that day.

"I would enjoy that very much." Rachel retrieved the books she needed and was shocked again when Tina waited for her to walk to class. "So," Rachel started, "have you thought of a song for Glee yet?"

"No. I am kind of figuring out who I am right now, and when you're not sure about that, how can you sing about what you want?"

"That is a very good point. If you'd like, during free period I could help you go through some music."

"Can Artie come too? We've been talking about some stuff as well and I said we could hang out during free period." Rachel, by nature, recoiled.

"Oh, it's fine, you should go with him."

"No, Rachel, I'd like you to come. I know Artie could use some help too and no one in Glee knows music like you." Rachel blushed.

"Okay, well I'll see you in Glee." As she headed off for her class, Rachel took a deep breath, ensured that today was not going to be as bad as she expected it to be.

The day passed without incident, due mostly to Rachel keeping her head down, her earphones in, and her feet moving quickly to every class. She was sure at any moment, Puck would come around the corner and she'd feel as sick and broken hearted as she had the day before, but once lunch passed, she guessed that he wasn't coming in. She couldn't help but feel worried, wondering what he was up to. Her only option, however, was to suppress the feeling and try to get through the day.

When she met with Artie and Tina during free period, Rachel truly felt the weight of the last 24 hours lift from her shoulders. They were both kind and receptive to her opinion, while also rejecting the ideas that didn't quite match their personalities. Not once was she called a diva or a know-it-all, and she got to know them both more than she had before.

Near the end of the period, Artie had gone to put his guitar away and Rachel and Tina were sitting and talking.

"I guess relationship wise I feel fine right now. Artie and I worked through our issues and…" She blushed. "I'm really happy. But I don't really like happy, bubbly, pop songs, you know?"

"Well, is there anything you feel frustrated about? Something you'd still like to change?"

"I don't like how everyone else treats Artie and me. Glee's safe, but the looks and the comments and the threats to lock Artie in a port-a-potty? They suck. It's the stupid popular people like…" Tina trailed off.

"Like Santana?" Rachel finished, knowing what Tina had intended to say.

"I didn't want to bring her up."

"I know, and it was very kind of you to consider my feelings."

"I don't know what happened, but I'm pretty sure it was her fault. Puck's been different this past week… he talked to Artie and was nice to him, which was a really big step." Tina took a second to decide if she'd push the topic farther. "Are you guys done for good?"

"I think we have some growing to do apart from each other. There are decisions that we can't make for each other. If, after that, we find ourselves still wanting to be together, I wouldn't fight it." Rachel chuckled. "I need to figure out who I am and what I want as well. Looks like Mr. Schue chose another oddly related singing topic for the week." Wanting to lighten the mood, Rachel pulled out her iPod. "In regards to your current frustrations, what are your sentiments towards Evanescence?"

"Amy Lee kicks ass." Rachel laughed.

"Well, then I'm guessing you know 'Everybody's Fool'." Tina's eyes lit up.

"I like it… angry, mocking, and exactly how I'm feeling toward the current in-crowd."

"There you go."

"Thanks Rachel." The bell rang and they gathered their things and met Artie at the door to head to last period. As the group broke up, Tina smiled at Rachel and said, "I'm rooting for you guys." Rachel was comforted to know that among the throngs of opponents, she had found someone for her team.

School ended, and Rachel's Dad picked her up to go right to Ballet Club. Rachel had been tempted to skip, as she hadn't slept too well the night before, but a rigorous schedule kept her in her best form. As Rachel began her warm-ups at the bar, Jesse came up and began to warm-up next to her.

"Well, I know why you were upset now."

"Good afternoon, Jesse."

"I'm sorry, you know."

"That's very kind of you." Rachel turned to switch legs and found herself face-to-face with Jesse.

"Rachel, I was an idiot. I shouldn't have gotten so angry about the video. I told you, I'm a drama queen. And now, with everything with Puck, I can't help but think I've been given another chance." He reached out and cupped her cheek. "We work together, Rachel, together we're dynamic. And I know that I wouldn't be as much of a fool to go and kiss Santana or anyone else. You're what I need, Rachel." Rachel reached up and gently moved his hand away.

"I'm sorry, Jesse, but I do not agree with your conclusion. While Noah and I are having a disagreement, I still… wait just one moment. Jacob's video released the information that there was some form of interaction between Noah and Santana, but nobody knew that they kissed."

"It's what everyone's saying, Rachel."

"No, they're not. In the limited sections of hearsay I was privy to, the general consensus is that they slept together. The second place opinion is that he dumped me for her." Jesse's eyes were wide as he attempted to find another reasonable cover story.

"Well Santana was running her mouth after Glee. I heard her and Brittany discussing it."

"You were a part of this, weren't you? You soulless machine! All you care about is the competition and the win. Noah won me over and you couldn't stand that I wasn't miserable and pining after you. He saw right through you. I was naïve, hoping that this was real, but I can see now that you simply wanted me as a conquest and then as a way to destroy our team." Rachel found herself laughing, unable to believe the situation. Then a thought hit her, and she smiled a smirk that Puck would be proud of. "Do me a favor, Jesse, and do your warm-ups somewhere else on the bar. And if we end up next to each other today or at any other meeting, do YOUR arabesques and piques in silence. Don't talk to me." Rachel turned on her toe and faced the other way. She felt a surge of emotion and smiled. _'Wow,'_ she thought, _'that felt pretty good.'_ Maybe Noah had a point when they'd talked earlier that week. Sometimes, it was worth it to fight back.

_I'll wake alone tomorrow  
The dream of our dance is through_

**I feel like a proud mommy, having Rachel start to have a backbone. She's my favorite girl on Glee and she gets so ragged on that I just wanna jump in there and tell her to fight back! Again, I PROMISE Puck will be back in the next chapter, with an assist from an old friend. I'm getting really excited with what's next, and I hope y'all are too!**


	19. Make Up Your Mind Reprise

**Hello again everyone! Thanks to all who have read and stuck with this, and especially those who have reviewed! I'm going to try to update quickly, because I'm going on vacation in a week, so hopefully I'll get up one or two more chapters before I go. Puck is back in this chapter, so enjoy!**

_Make up your mind that you'll try again  
Make up your mind there are moments of light  
But one thing that's sure is that there is no cure  
But that doesn't mean we don't fight_

As Finn was packing up his stuff after basketball, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. The screen said "Puck's House" and he stopped for a moment, wondering why Puck would call from his house phone, especially since he hadn't been at school today. He came out of his reverie just in time to answer the phone.

"Hello?"

"Finn?" It wasn't Puck, but instead it was Abbie, his sister. He heard a sniffle and could tell she was crying.

"Abbie are you okay?"

"I'm fine, but remember how you said to call you if it happened again?"

"I'm on my way." Finn shut his phone, grabbed his bag, and hurried out of the locker room toward the parking lot.

Near the end of freshman year, Puck had begun dating assistant captain of the cheerleading squad Missy Harris, which was almost unheard of in the McKinley hierarchy. She was the one to get him into partying and had been the first of Puck's "conquests". Or so he would lead everyone to believe. The truth behind the story was he had really liked Missy, but after sleeping with him she had admitted that she had wanted to make the captain of the football team jealous. Puck went on a bender that weekend, and Abbie had found him unconscious in the bathroom. Puck was taken to the hospital, where the doctor graciously suggested to his mother that it might have been food poisoning and dehydration. Finn had made Puck swear to never get that drunk again, but it seemed now that his promise had been broken.

Finn pulled into the Puckerman driveway and barely had the car in park when he swung the door open and headed for the house. The door opened before he could knock and Abbie was standing there with tear tracks on her face.

"He's in his room with the door locked. He didn't talk at all at dinner last night and then he went to his room and I thought he went to school but his door is still locked and when I yelled in there he didn't respond but I heard bottles clink and he groaned." She babbled as they headed up to Puck's room. Finn tried the handle and then banged on the door.

"Puck, open the damn door or I'm opening it for you!" He waited, but didn't hear anything, so he opened the storage closet nearby and rifled around in the toolkit until he found the key that Puck had hidden there when they were 13. Puck's door was opened, and Finn entered to find Puck sprawled on his bed. There was an empty Jack Daniel's bottle on his bedside table and two empty beer bottles knocked over on the floor next to the table. He ran over to Puck and shook him, trying to wake him up. "Come on, get up." Puck's eyes opened and Finn breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hudson, what the…"

"You aren't allowed to do this to me, dude! Let alone your sister, she was scared enough to call me."

"The Jack was pretty much empty. I was just trying to sleep off the hangover." Puck sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes. "Abs?" He called out to his sister, she stepped in from the hall and then ran at him, tackling him to the bed.

"I was really scared, Noah."

"Oof… I'm sorry, kid. Do you mind grabbing me some Tylenol?" She nodded and headed back downstairs.

"So, the Lopez plague takes another victim?" Puck smirked.

"That's probably the meanest thing I've heard you say. 'Bout time." Puck shook his head. "I honestly don't know what the hell happened. One second I was going to find Rachel and the next, Santana was kissing me and Rachel was running. I went to her house and… God, she was so mad."

"But it was just Santana, wasn't it? She's eight kinds of desperate, Rachel knows that." Puck lowered his head in shame.

"I was a little confused and not thinking and… Rachel didn't just see Santana kiss me, she saw me kiss Santana back." In a surprising move, Finn smacked Puck on the head. "Damn it, Hudson, my head hurts enough."

"I told you I'd kick your ass."

"I know." Abbie was back at the door with the Tylenol and a bottle of water. She kissed Puck on the cheek and then went back out towards her room. "Look, Finn, you know me. You were around when everything went down with my dad. Rachel said that she didn't factor people into her plans and I know how she wants to go to New York as soon as she's out of here… I panicked. And I kind of thought that I had worked through everything in my mind, but then the whole thing with Santana and… she was yelling and I just felt like she was giving every reason to run. I couldn't take it and I left."

"That was yesterday… what happened since then?"

"I drove for a while. I'm actually kinda shocked I didn't get in an accident, I was so mad. I just couldn't find an answer. She kept asking why I didn't push Santana away and I honestly didn't know. I made sure I was back for dinner, so I didn't freak my Ma out, and then I remembered I had a few bottles up here. It took both the beers, but I finally figured it out. I think, even though I told myself I had worked through everything, a part of me was still convinced that would bail on me without a second thought. She broke up with me when we dated before and I felt like she didn't feel bad about it, even though she knew I wasn't going to break up with her."

"So you bail before someone else does?" Puck groaned.

"That's what Rachel said too… and she was right."

"I'm guessing that's when Jack Daniels made his appearance." Finn laughed.

"Yeah, but like I said the bottle was mostly empty. Just enough to clear my mind for a while. I woke up early enough to go to school, but the hangover was a bitch, so I went back to bed. I honestly didn't hear Abbie knock." Finn walked over and sat on Puck's desk chair across from him.

"So, what's your plan?" Puck looked confused.

"Shower… probably eat something."

"No, you idiot, how are you going to win her back?"

"I hadn't really thought about that… and I'm shocked you're helping me. It's kind of crazy that you're talking to me right now." Finn had to admit that Puck had a point.

"There's a part of me that's still pretty pissed with you, dude, but to sound like a total girl, I miss my best friend. And, I'm kind of starting to get that what happened with Quinn was a onetime mistake mess thing. You and Rachel proved that."

"Cool." Finn knew that lone word had a lot more behind it, so he accepted it, and continued on. "You know Rachel, she needs something dramatic. You're going to have to do something big to prove to her that you're in this." Puck smirked his trademark smirk.

"Rachel also likes when people listen to her, and I know a way to prove I was listening."

"Anything I can do to help?" Puck laughed.

"Yeah, don't let me fuck this up again."

**Yay! Puck's back and he doesn't have alcohol poisoning! I love Finn and Puck as buddies, so they're back wreaking havoc (or good in this case) in my Glee world. The next chapter will be to "Hey #1" and will be back at school. Spoiler: Puck and Rachel talk. **


	20. Hey 1

**This is a short chapter, leading up to a larger one. It's also based off a shorter song, so I think it all works out. So much of me wants to skip through my plan and just put these two crazy kids back together, but once I make a plan, I like to stick to it. I will tell you, though, that after this chapter, there are only 6 more chapters and an epilogue planned. And the chapters will get longer and more fun. I promise. So, it's Friday, Puck's back at school, let's go! The lyrics are in italics, and interspersed for a change of pace.**

_Hey_

_I've missed you these days,  
I thought you might call. _

Rachel walked into school Friday just as apprehensive as she had felt on Thursday. She hadn't heard anything from Puck, not that she was expecting to or anything, but she had absolutely no way of knowing if he was okay, if he was showing up for school today, or anything else related to the thousands of questions bouncing around in her head. She headed to the choir room to begin her morning warm-ups, hoping that the routine would settle her mind.

Near the end of her scales, Rachel felt something in her stir. Her chest felt a little tight and her breath caught. She spun around and was fast enough to see someone move away from the window in the door… someone with a Mohawk. The breath she was holding let itself out and she loosened up again. Well, that answered a couple of questions.

She collected her things right before first period. Yes, she could have gone to her locker to put her music away. Yes, she could have given herself a little more time to get to her class. No, she was not avoiding Puck, or so she told herself.

The day passed somewhat quickly, a blessing for Friday, and Rachel was at her locker getting her lunch when she heard the normal chatter level of the hallway increase. In that moment, she didn't have to look to know that Puck was walking over to her. She was a little bit psychic, after all.

"Hey." His voice sounded behind her.

"Hey." She replied without turning.

"I was a dumbass Wednesday and got drunk. I'm not assuming or denying if you were worried, but I wanted you to know. You'd probably say I'm more mature than that, but at that moment I wasn't, so…" He trailed off. She turned to face him, straightening herself up with faked poise.

"I don't really have much to say right now, Noah. I know that's a revelation where I am concerned, but it's where I am currently."

"I think that's bullshit." Rachel's eyes widened. "You have a million things you'd like to say, most of them made up of really big words that I wouldn't get."

"Noah, don't…"

"Don't what? Don't tell the truth? I can't just walk away this time." He said firmly.

"Don't do this to me. Not here, not with every single eye in the hallway on us." A glance around told Puck that she wasn't wrong. "And not now. After yesterday, I need time to figure things out and now, today, is not enough time."

"Got a ballpark range?" The sarcastic comment shot out and he regretted it instantly.

"Forget it." Rachel slammed her locker and started off towards the auditorium.

"Rachel, wait!"

_Are we over?  
Don't say that we're over._

"Noah, stop. I have said all you need to know. And as you so charmingly said, I don't need this right now."

_Don't you want us to be?_

Puck hung his head as she stormed off. He really did have a charming and impressive way of proving he cared for her, but if she wasn't going to accept him simply talking to her, she wasn't going to go for anything else. He had 'til Monday to somehow get her willing to not only be around him, but to listen to him.

If there was one thing about Rachel Berry that Puck knew, it was that she didn't give up. When every odd was stacked against her, she would still find a way to get through a situation. And as angry and hurt as she was, he knew that the stubbornness in her would not let her let this go until every little thing had been worked through. She didn't give up on people, either, as shown through her support of everyone else in Glee, even the people who had treated her horribly.

Rachel was not done thinking or talking about their relationship, he knew it. He just had to get that spark lit in her again. __

No, I want who I knew.  
She's somewhere in you.

**Remember, if Puck's hopeful, there's got to be good things in the future. Next chapter, one more friend lends a hand, with Rachel this time. See you soon!**


	21. I've Been

**Hello again! Hopefully this longer chapter makes up for the last short one. I've been looking forward to this one for a while, and after this things get even better! So excited! For now, enjoy one more friend intervention…**

_And every day this act we act gets more and more absurd.  
And all my fears just sit inside me, screaming to be heard.  
I know they won't, though, not a single word._

Rachel headed to the choir room for free period again, where she suspected Artie and Tina would be. When she entered, she found that she was correct, and the two greeted her warmly. She was surprised, though, when Kurt and Mercedes came over and began asking her opinion on the pieces they were thinking of singing that week. This was a stunning turnaround from their usual treatment of her, but she took it in stride and gave her honest opinion.

Halfway through the period, she excused herself to a practice room, citing a need to practice her own piece. That was a lie, as she had yet to find a song, which was quite disheartening given her knowledge of music. She sat down at the piano and plinked a few keys, hoping some inspiration would come to her. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Rachel feared that it was Puck, who would not have had a hard time hunting her down. A quick glance showed that instead of Puck, Quinn was standing at the door. She opened it a crack and stuck her head in.

"Hi, Rachel, can I talk to you for a second?"

"I am willing to help you with your song choice, Quinn, but at the moment I'm doing a little work of my own." Quinn smiled.

"This isn't about Glee." She stepped in and closed the door behind her. "It's about Puck." At Rachel's apprehensive look, she laughed and took a seat next to her. "I'm a little proud of how nervous you look, but I promise, I'm not here to attack you or anything." She glanced down at her stomach. "Besides, anything beyond slow movement makes her kick me in the bladder." Finally, Rachel cracked a smile. "So, I don't know exactly what happened, but I wanted you to know that I'd like to help if I can."

"Why?" The loquacious Rachel Berry was almost speechless.

"I've known Puck since we were in elementary school. We were never really friends, but everyone kind of knew each other. My pseudo-friendship with him only came from dating Finn. But you know Lima, it's a tiny place, and everyone knew about Mr. Puckerman taking off. When I started getting to know him, it was easy to see that he put up this front of being a badass bully, but one day when my dad came to pick me up from practice, he dropped his walls for a second and I saw it, that other guy that he kept hidden so often. I didn't really care at the time, I was more concerned about keeping my queen bee status." She laughed. "Then this little one happened and once or twice, I saw it again, that look in his eye or a real smile. Around the time you did the "Run, Joey, Run" video, he started to get that look a lot more. He talked more and was more passionate about things, especially those things that concerned you, and when he started ranting about Finn wrapping his freakishly long arms around you, I knew something had to be done." She paused, smiling wistfully. "He reminded me of Finn when we first started dating. Things got screwed up pretty fast, most of which was my fault, but it was pretty good for a while… and with everything you've both been through, I figured you two deserved a break." Rachel sat there for a moment, thinking everything through.

"I wish we'd talked before now." She finally said. "I have a feeling that we'd have a lot to say, and that a lot of it would surprise you and I alike. In regards to Noah, however, I don't really know what to say."

"I heard Santana and Jesse talking right before everything happened. I guess I was naïve and thought that they had moved on and were targeting someone else. I wish I had said something."

"You couldn't have known… and as much as you could have done, this whole situation revealed a lot about Noah and me." Quinn got a determined look on her face.

"We have fifteen minutes before the period ends, so let's go. Unload." Rachel hesitated, wondering if she should open up this easily to someone who, twenty minutes ago, she assumed hated her. It would be nice to talk about it though.

"Santana kissed him and he didn't push her away. He just kissed her back. I ran, he chased, I'm sure you've seen the video. At my house we fought and I brought up his issues concerning his father and a fear of abandonment, he brought up my fear of betrayal and my subsequent lack of attachment to people. I asked him why he didn't push Santana away and he couldn't answer me, he just kept saying 'I don't know'."

"Well, that was more complicated than I was expecting from Puck, but he has advanced since becoming attached to you, so I guess we can oddly enough consider this progress." Rachel laughed at Quinn's humor.

"I guess I just want to figure out my issues first before trying to go back into any relationship, be it one with Noah or not."

"Well, the Cheerios alone are enough to make you nervous, so I can see where you're coming from. At the same time, and please don't get angry with me, remember that this is the first real relationship that Puck has been in, and he doesn't have the same brain capacity you have. The fact that he was willing to run after you is impressive." Rachel nodded.

"He talked to me this morning and let me know that he was not present at school yesterday because he got drunk after our fight."

"That's so cute… in a completely irresponsible way." Quinn covered quickly and Rachel laughed. "So, I have an idea, and I'm guessing you're not gonna be a huge fan, but go with it. Would you like to hang out after school?" It was then that Rachel thought about how strange of a week she was having. Right as she was confronted with her issues about friends, she began to make some.

"I… wouldn't be opposed to it." Quinn smiled and clapped her hands.

"Good. Are you also not opposed to being totally girly? Because I could use a day like that. Puck is…well… Puck and his sister is going through a tomboy phase." Well, Rachel thought, in for a penny, in for a pound.

"Sure."

A few hours later, Rachel was shocked at how happy she was feeling. She and Quinn had gone and gotten smoothies after school, then had walked around the mall for a bit, before going back to Rachel's house to watch movies. Her fathers were shocked that the girl that Rachel had frequently mentioned as disliking her was now sitting in their family room, but from the laughter they were hearing, they chose joy over concern.

Quinn had let the heavy topics go for a while, but when their movie ended, she decided it was time to face them again.

"So, what do you feel you need to work through? You said you wanted to confront your issues."

"Well, I guess I've already been working through one already. I haven't really made friends before due to my fear of duplicity. But, over the past few days, Artie and Tina were quite nice to me, and you've been so kind as well, and I've barely felt the urge to close myself off that I usually feel."

"Barely?" Rachel giggled.

"I'll admit, the mall had me ready to make a run for it." She sighed. "One of my other concerns is that it took Noah asking me about my feelings and then haphazardly tossing them at me to finally see the fears I had been repressing. A part of me is worried that I don't know who I am as well as I've always assumed I did. I'm questioning my behaviors and my thoughts. And lastly, I'm scared to trust him. I told him before we started going out how nervous I was, given that Jesse had just trampled on my heart, right after Finn had trampled on my heart." Rachel stopped, shook her head, and laughed a bit.

"What just happened?"

"I figured out my song." She said, beaming.

"That's a start." The girls talked for a little while longer before Rachel drove Quinn back to Puck's house. As they sat in the driveway, Quinn turned to Rachel one last time. "Take this weekend, sing your song, do what you have to… I'll make sure Puck backs off and gives you time to think. I'm a little biased, but I think that you two should get back together because you're good for each other. Yes, things ended up a bit catastrophic this time, but who else in your life would help you discover yourself like this? Maybe you should see this as a blessing and an opportunity." Quinn left it at that and headed inside, leaving a very thoughtful Rachel Berry behind her.

_I can't give up now.  
'Cause I've never been alone.  
I could never be alone._

**I like friendly!Quinn! She's fun to write, and while the writers had her become friends with Mercedes on the show, I think that her and Rachel could be really good friends. I'm going on vacation for the next week, but I intend to hit the ground running when I return. I originally had no plans to include the Glee performances besides Puck's, but this story has a mind of its own. Coming up in the next chapter, it's Monday again, Tina will be performing in Glee, and someone gets slushied!**


	22. Hey 2

**I'm back! Vacation was great, but I'm so glad to be back to my writing. I'm introducing some outside music into this chapter (gasp!), but you were forewarned. In other news, I just realized that I had blocked anonymous reviews, and that was an accident on my part. As someone who read for a long time without an account, if anyone wanted to review but couldn't, you have my apologies. I believe I've changed that now, so review away if you so wish it. It's Monday, school is back in session, and Santana is about to get part one of her smackdown. Oh, and there's a slushie-ing.**

_You just don't give up_

_So don't give up on me_

Rachel entered school on Monday with a clear head. A quiet weekend had been exactly what she had needed. Her only interruptions had come from occasional messages from Quinn and Tina, which had been pleasantly surprising to her. Tina had let her know that she would be performing in Glee Monday and that the performance was dedicated to her. Rachel couldn't help but be excited to see how Tina would perform the song. Quinn simply checked in, sending a few words of encouragement. "Remember to listen for your own voice," She had said, "And know that everything everyone ever told you was wrong. No one else has lived your life."

As she reached the hallway her locker was in, Rachel saw Puck waiting for her. Quinn had kept her word over the weekend, keeping him quiet, but school was a whole different situation. While Rachel had examined her feelings and knew what she wanted her next course of action to be, something didn't feel complete. There was a piece missing to this puzzle, but Rachel didn't know what it was.

"Hey." Puck greeted her as she came up to her locker.

"Hey." Puck was encouraged by the fact that she smiled when she said hi this time. He stood by awkwardly for a moment before continuing.

"I picked out a song for Glee."

"Me too." Another pause.

"Look, Rachel, I… I spent a lot of time defending myself last week and I haven't said that I'm sorry. I do know that I screwed up and I shouldn't have turned everything back on you."

"Thank you, Noah." Rachel opened her mouth to say something else, but the warning bell rang for class. "I'll see you later."

"See you in math." Puck commented back. Rachel smiled as another of her questions was answered. Puck had gone to math all week, but she had been uncertain if his behavior would continue given their current status. Of course, this meant that she would have a whole period sitting next to him, still attempting to figure out what she was looking for at the moment.

Math ended up being much calmer than Rachel had expected, as their teacher had assigned them into groups to review for the next test. With her on one side of the room and him on the other, Rachel was able to appropriately focus on the task at hand, with her mind wandering to Puck only once or twice… or so she would say.

Glee was next, and the smile on Tina's face when she volunteered to sing first should have been the room's first warning. She walked up, placing a CD in the player, then turned to introduce her song.

"I had a little trouble with finding my song, because I've been feeling pretty good recently, but then a friend of mine reminded me that not everything is going well at school." Tina said, sending a smile Rachel's way. "I'm sick of being treated like crap by the so called popular crowd, and while some people have changed and accepted us," She looked towards where Puck was sitting with Matt and Mike, "Others have not been so kind. This is for them." She pressed play and let the intro play.

_Perfect by nature  
Icons of self indulgence  
Just what we all need  
More lies about a world that_

Never was and never will be  
Have you no shame don't you see me  
You know you've got everybody fooled

Tina moved from the front of the room and stood so she was in front of Santana and Brittany, but her eyes locked with Santana's.__

Look here she comes now  
Bow down and stare in wonder  
Oh how we love you  
No flaws when you're pretending  
But now I know she

Never was and never will be  
You don't know how you've betrayed me  
And somehow you've got everybody fooled

Without the mask where will you hide  
Can't find yourself lost in your lie 

Tina walked and began circling Santana's chair. A look around the room showed Rachel that most everyone was amused with Tina's routine. Brittany looked confused, as did Mr. Schuester, but the rest had slight smiles on their faces.__

I know the truth now  
I know who you are  
And I don't love you anymore

It never was and never will be  
You don't know how you've betrayed me  
And somehow you've got everybody fooled

It never was and never will be  
You're not real and you can't save me  
Somehow now you're everybody's fool

Tina stood back in the front of the room for a moment, smiling as the Glee club minus Santana applauded her performance. Santana glared at Tina, her cheeks red with embarrassment.

"Alright, Tina, that was very… honest. I'm impressed with your choice of an emotional song that you could relate to so well. Great job."

While Rachel was usually an attentive audience member, she found herself distracted while Matt performed next. She watched Santana for a while, taking in the girl's anger and what seemed to be a little bit of shame. After a few minutes, though, she regained her composure and went back to whispering to Brittany and even smiling. Tina's actions had done their part, but apparently they hadn't been enough. Maybe nothing would get through to her.

The last few minutes, while Mr. Schue gave some notes, Rachel found herself looking at Quinn. The once queen bee had softened since the beginning of the year, but she still had an air that kept people from messing with her. Besides that one week after the pregnancy got out, she had been left alone. Even after she was off the Cheerios squad and lost that protection.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Rachel focused again to find that the bell had rung and Quinn was standing in front of her.

"How do you do it? How do you keep all the horrible people here at bay? I've tried acting like it doesn't affect me in order to dissuade their thoughts of upsetting me, but nothing seems to work." Quinn smiled.

"Yes, I am quite proud of that." Rachel stood and the two left the room together to head to their classes. "It's all about fear. Once, I was the head Cheerio, so I ran the ranks. Since then, though, I think they're all just afraid of my pregnancy hormones or something. Also, I think there's a large group who thinks I'll be back on the squad next year, so if they mess with me now, they're setting themselves up for next year."

"A group who thinks you'll be back?"

"I haven't decided yet. I've recently realized just how poorly I was treating myself… about the time I re-discovered my love of chocolate." Both girls laughed. "Of course, what works to scare them with one person does nothing for another. It's some big twisted puzzle that changes with every turn."

"Yes, well as much as I would love to admire the labyrinthine structure of our school, I'd like to find the backdoor that keeps me from being on the bottom of the heap."

"You'll figure it out. Or you won't. I haven't." Quinn chuckled as she went into her class and Rachel went next door to hers. The period passed quickly, and in the little down time she had during the class, Rachel decided that she would go to the auditorium for lunch, and that if Puck showed up, she would be willing to talk through their situation. Maybe then she would figure out what was missing.

Rachel walked to her locker to grab her lunch, feeling slightly nervous about the conversation that may be about to happen. At the same time, she felt the tingly feeling of anticipation. She would be lying if she said she didn't miss Puck, how he made her smile and laugh. And there were the moments when he would just look at her and wouldn't say a thing and she got goosebumps.

"Rachel!" She suddenly heard her name being called, but before she could turn to see who had shouted, she felt herself being pushed. She fell onto the floor and her shoulder hit the lockers. After a moment, she regained her bearings, and looked up to see Puck covered in slushie, pushing Karofsky up against the lockers. "You got a deathwish?" Rachel could see Puck's fist balling at his side.

"Okay, everyone, nothing else to see here." Mr. Schuester had stuck his head out of his class and dispersed the crowd. Puck let Karofsky go, muttering under his breath about seeing him later. Puck came to Rachel's side, lightly touching her shoulder.

"Are you okay? I didn't mean to push you into the lockers, but by the time I saw and got over here…"

"Shhh…" Rachel took his hand and led him towards the bathrooms. "Come on."

**Yay! This chapter was fun, but I will tell you that the next two are the ones I've been looking forward to this whole time. Saving the best for last takes SO MUCH TIME! Anyway, it's great to be back and I hope you liked it.**


	23. A Promise

**Hi everyone! A big shout-out to my fabulous reviewers and favorite-ers, who make checking my e-mail that much more enjoyable. This chapter was originally going to be to a different song, but my iPod was on shuffle and I heard this one and it was just perfect! The plot is still the same, and I think many of you will be happy with the end of this chapter. Enjoy!**

_A promise a boy says forever  
A boy says whatever may come we'll come through  
And who can know how when all I know now to be true,  
Is this promise that I made to you.  
_

Rachel pulled Puck along to the bathroom, ignoring the stares that followed them down the hall. Without a word, she pulled the chair and Puck sat down. The warm water was turned down, and she gently eased him back to begin cleaning him off.

"Are you sure your shoulder's okay?" She smiled warmly.

"Yes, Noah, my shoulder is fine. I assure you I've received worse injuries through my many years of dance and theatre." Rachel continued on in silence for a while as she washed Puck's head and face.

"Karofsky's an idiot. He should have learned his lesson last time."

"While you attempted to mask your previous actions, I'm assuming you beat him up after the last incident?"

"Yeah, me, Finn, Matt, and Mike."

"While I in no way condone physical violence, I'm somewhat pleased to hear that you and Finn are friendly again."

"Yeah, we're good." Rachel rolled her eyes.

"I don't think I'll ever understand the dynamics of male friendships, but again, I'm glad." He closed his eyes to let her rinse off the syrup and she smiled at how peaceful he looked. She hadn't seen that peace in the last week, for good reason. She'd felt just as uneasy, with both relationship and social woes. "Clearly violence only works as a temporary deterrent for him. "

_Here's what I say to the girl who was burning so brightly  
Like the light from Orion above  
And still I will search for her nightly_

_If you see her please send her my love  
_

"I guess maybe he thought since we were fighting that I wouldn't care… which was stupid of him to assume." He sat up and she grabbed some towels to help him dry off.

"I don't think that Karofsky comprehends that much. I think the bruises faded and he forgot what the problem was."

"It just pisses me off that he thinks he owns this school. The football team may suck, but everyone still comes to see the games. Who the hell goes to the hockey games, besides his mother?" Puck continued to rant, and in a strange reversal of roles, Rachel let him go as she drifted off in thought. She was taken back to when she had dinner at Puck's house. When he had gone to pick up Abbie, she'd had an interesting conversation with Puck's mother.

"I'm glad to get to talk with you, Rachel. You and Noah had such a quick relationship before, it was over and I'd only gotten a glimpse of you." Rachel chuckled.

"Yes, at the time both Noah and I had our sights set elsewhere. After the events of the last few weeks, however, we've both changed and I believe we understand each other better." Mrs. Puckerman smiled.

"You're so kind with him. Obviously, I know about Quinn, and I know probably a fraction of the trouble he gets into." She sighed. "Even with everything I find out, I know it's not his fault. I'm sure you know about his father."

"I know a little. I mean, I remember around the time it happened and hearing some things around temple."

"Aaron was a dreamer, but unfortunately that dream kept him away from home a lot. One kid wasn't too bad for him, because if he got his big break one kid wasn't bad for moving around. When he found out I was pregnant again, he just couldn't take it. The only male influence Noah had was distant when he was here and then ran out on us right before Abbie was born. He became close friends with Finn around that time, but as you know, Finn's father died before Finn was born, so there wasn't anyone else for him to learn from besides TV shows." She paused, looking pensive. "I haven't helped him much either. I started working as soon as I could and he was the man of the house. And then at times I just got so angry about his father and… before you dated, I told him he was just as bad as the Nazis because he wasn't dating a Jewish girl."

"He's doing okay, though, for all that's happened." Rachel said supportively. "I've seen much worse people with fewer excuses than he has. My previous boyfriend was raised with every opportunity and both parents that were around all the time save for a few business trips throughout the year. Even with everything he could want or need, he is competitive and cruel and emotionally stunted. With Noah… he expresses himself inappropriately at times, but he understands that his actions are wrong. He told me himself that sometimes he doesn't know why he behaves as he does; he just reacts and regrets it later."

"Well, there's hope for him yet." Mrs. Puckerman turned and smiled at her. "You understand having that important person missing in your life." Rachel smiled ruefully.

"Yes, I have often wondered how my life would be different had I a mother or a frequent female influence. Like Noah, by the time I had persistent figures, my ways were already set."

"You two are good for each other. Just be careful with my boy. He's finding a new side of himself that he's repressed for a long time. He never had a man to teach him that it was okay to feel and not be the protector and provider all the time."

"Of course."

_And the boy was a boy for all seasons  
That boy is long lost to me now  
And the man has forgotten his reasons  
But the man still remembers his vow.  
_

"The guy gets hit in the head a few times with a puck and suddenly he's king of the school." Rachel caught the end of Puck's rant just in time to pay attention.

"Well, now it seems you understand my view of the lamentable social structure a bit." He stared up at her and she giggled. "No, you enjoy the structure, you would just prefer it follow your specifications."

"Hell yeah!"

"Quinn was right; while the structure depends on a complex system of fear based reputations, there is no single access point to understanding what will sway the actions of our peers." Puck's eyes went wide.

"Every now and then, I need a dictionary with you." The two smiled at each other, and Rachel could feel the pain and the tension of the last few days fading away. "I really do wish I'd never started the slushie thing. It's become a monster now. And if I'd been faster I could have stopped Karofsky… you wouldn't have gotten pushed over."

"Noah, I don't need to be protected. I've been handling this kind of behavior for years." It was then that something sparked in Rachel's mind. "No, I haven't been handling it. I've been accepting it, letting myself be just strong enough to get past it. And I somehow convinced myself that defending myself would seem weak in the eyes of others. I do appreciate how you've defended me, I don't want to belittle that, but to affect the behavior of the masses something more drastic may be needed."

_A promise a man says forever  
A man says I'll never regret or let you  
The promise I made to stay and I stay true.  
Knowing one day we'd remember that joy _

_You'd remember that girl  
I'd remember that boy_

"Drastic?" Puck recognized that gleam in Rachel's eye. It was the same look she got when she had a brilliant idea for Glee. "Yeah, the look you have right now scares the crap out of me." She stood so she was meeting his eye line as he sat by the sink.

"Noah, I need you to do something for me."

"I'm gonna need to know what first." She beamed at him.

"Stay out of my way during the next passing period. You're welcome to watch, but there are a few matters that I've let go, and it's high time I set a few people straight."

"I don't know whether to be excited or worried." He said with a laugh.

"Both, I imagine." Rachel heard some noise in the hall and knew that meant the period would be ending soon.

"So you're going to take some people down and I'm supposed to stay back and let you?"

"Yes."

"When did you become a bad influence on me?" He was shocked by the smirk that appeared on Rachel's face.

"I don't know, but this could be fun." The bell rang and she headed for the door. "Let's go."

**Rachel's back! The next chapter is honestly the one I've been looking forward to since beginning this story, so get excited. I'll be back soon, I promise, and it'll probably be my favorite chapter I've ever written. McKinley High better watch out.**


	24. Wish I Were Here

**I am so excited for this chapter! I highly suggest listening to the song included here, "Wish I Were Here", because it's got such a great energy and I kind of wish it were actually playing over the hall speakers as Rachel goes about this chapter. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.**

Rachel took a deep breath, allowing herself one second of nervousness before the anger and adrenaline coursed through her. A quick scan of the hallway let her know where the people she was looking for were. She flashed a smile Puck's way and said, "Showtime."

_In an instant lightning flashes _

_And the burst might leave me blind.  
When the bolt of lightning crashes _

_And it burns right through my mind,_

Her first stop was to the right, where Karofsky was leaning against his locker and talking with two Cheerios.

"Excuse me, girls, this won't take long." She said, shooing them away.

"What the hell, Berry? I may have missed you earlier but…"

"Quiet time, Karofsky, I'm talking now, and if you know what's good for you, you'll keep your mouth shut until I'm done. I hope you enjoyed today, had a good time slushie-ing Noah, because your little reign of terror is done. I've let things go for far too long now. I guess I thought that if I let things go, you'd get tired of your little games and grow up. Clearly, that is not the case, so things are going to be changing around here."_  
_

_It's like someone drained my brain out,_

_Set my frozen mind to thaw,  
Let the lethargy and pain out, _

_While I stood and watched in awe._

"From all of the events that have necessitated cleaning up around here, I have become good friends with the janitor. The same janitor is the man responsible for collecting the security tapes from the school cameras. With a snap of my fingers, I can have evidence that you've been dousing me and my friends with slushies. I also have been keeping a record of the number of times I've been slushied and how much it costs the school to clean up the hallway. Finally, I've kept my dry-cleaning bills for all my damaged clothes. You come near us again, and I will go to the school and threaten a lawsuit due to lack of intervention by the staff. Multiple teachers have witnessed the incidents and have not stepped in or punished any of you. I will, however, kindly offer to rescind my lawsuit if you and your friends are removed from your respective sports teams."

_I am riding on the brightest buzz.  
I am worlds away from who I was.  
And they told me it would change me,  
Though they don't know how it does._

"You wouldn't dare!" Karofsky challenged, having picked his jaw up off the floor after Rachel's speech.

"What do I have to lose? Even if I fail, you can't treat me worse than you already do. And if I succeed, you'll all be knocked off the top of the food chain." Rachel straightened herself up, and even though she was much shorter than Karofsky, she felt as though she was looking down on him. "Let your friends know… cross me once and you're screwed." She started to walk away, but turned back to take in the look on his face. "You look scared, Karofsky. Good." She strutted off down the hall, preparing herself for round two. As she walked, she saw Puck on her left, leaning against the wall and taking in the scene. She shot him a wink, then headed forward to her next target.

_I have lived a life of clouds and gray,  
But this is crystal clear.  
Wish I were here._

"Hi, Santana, do you have a moment?" Santana opened her mouth to speak, but Rachel cut her off. "Great! I would just like to let you know that if you ever need someone to talk to, I know the number of a great psychologist. I know how daunting insecurities can be, and masking them with a brash exterior is an action that I understand completely."

"What are you talking about, manhands?"

"Someone who feels compelled to attack someone like me so frequently, first attempting to destroy the Glee club and later trying to destroy my relationship, clearly has some jealousy and inferiority issues to work through. It's somewhat poetic, considering I faced many of the same issues regarding you. Now, though, I know that you're just a timid little girl hiding behind a cheer skirt." Rachel was thoroughly enjoying the bewildered look on Santana's face.

_I imagine it's remarkable,  
Exuberant, austere.  
Wish I were here._

"Let's get this straight, you and I. While Noah and I have not officially resumed dating, I am confident that we will resolve out issues. If, at any point in the future, we choose to end our relationship, you are welcome to pursue him if you please. However, if you try to interfere in our relationship before then, you will regret the day you first looked at me and sought me as a target. From now on, you stay out of my life, got it?" She gave Santana her nicest smile. "By the way, I hope you enjoyed whatever was going on with you and Jesse, because I promise you, you won't be hearing from him. He gets what he wants and he leaves." As Rachel headed off down the hallway, she could see that everyone was staring at her. Finn and Quinn were smiling her way from his locker, and Tina was laughing at Santana from hers. She began to make her way back to Puck when she heard Kurt and Mercedes talking.

_It's euphoria, it's anger,  
It's the winter wind, it's fire._

_And it kills my deepest hunger _

_As it fills me with desire.  
_

"What is she blathering on about now?" Kurt asked.

"Let's just hope it passes quickly. We don't need her diva-ing out this close to regionals." Fire flared in Rachel's stomach and she halted her progress to face them.

"I guess it's your unlucky day that you decided to mess with me. I don't know what your deal is, but I'm going to need you guys to make up your minds. One day, you're playing nice and asking me for help in Glee, and the next I'm rubbish again. I honestly don't care if you decide to accept me or despise me, but choose one because I appreciate a constant environment. So?" They stood there, unable to respond, and Rachel heard the warning bell go off. "I guess you need some time to think. That's fine. Until then, if you call me a diva again, I will point you towards the nearest mirror. Have a nice day."

_I'm the light and heat of every sun._

_I'm a bullet from a magic gun._

_And I'm trying to enjoy it,_

_But I'm missing all the fun._

It had to be some sort of McKinley High record. Within the span of 5 minutes, Rachel had faced off with both ends of the popularity spectrum and had come out unscathed. As she moved through the hallway, people started stepping aside to let her through. She knew she had to book it to her next class, but she took a moment to look back at Puck, who hadn't moved from his viewing spot. She laughed as he saw her quietly applauding her. She gave a quick curtsy back, and he shook his head and said something that Rachel couldn't hear, but she knew exactly what he had said.

_Is my brain reborn or is it wrecked_

_In freedom or in fear_

_Wish I were here_

"That's my girl."

**YAY! This was just too much fun! Rachel found her fighting spirit and she was finally able to make it through the hallway without being trampled. Next chapter, Puck and Rachel will be singing in Glee, and it's gonna mean good things for them. See you soon!**


	25. A Light in the Dark

**I have an honest confession to make… I've been avoiding writing because I know that I'm reaching the end, and the end of this means the summer is over and I have to go back to the real world and the real world is boring and educational. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me from the beginning, and to those who have picked this up along the way. I love my readers dearly. There are only two more chapters after this, so know that we are hitting the proverbial home stretch. I will also tell you that this chapter is pure fluff. **

**The two songs in this chapter are "And There It Is" by Scott Alan ft. Lisa Brescia and "A Light in the Dark" from Next to Normal. If you get the chance, listen to them. They are both beautiful songs, and if I can take a second to give a shout out to the music of Scott Alan, look up some of his music if you have the time, as he is a genius at telling stories lyrically. Ok, schpiel over, read on!**

Monday had ended unremarkably, as Rachel had plans to discuss music with Quinn during free period, and then Puck had basketball practice after school. Although it seemed as though they were back together, both Rachel and Puck were unsure where exactly they stood, and they both spent their evenings staring at their phones, contemplating calling, and wondering why the other person wasn't.

Tuesday dawned, and Rachel was up early creating a karaoke track for her performance today. After the ambivalence of yesterday, a definite statement of intent was needed. Rachel's song would make that statement and then some. With a smile, she pulled the CD out of the drive and popped it into a case. _Here goes nothing_, she thought.

A few blocks away, Puck was just getting up, but his mind was on his song as well. He was taking a pretty big chance with his choice, since picking a song from a musical had the potential to take a good amount, if not all, of his street cred. He needed to make a big gesture, though, to show Rachel he was committed to their relationship. Right now, they were in that awkward 'we know how we feel about each other but haven't really said it' phase, and while that might seem all cute and shit to those crazy chicks reading vampire books or whatever, it was frustrating as hell when you were living it.

As he walked into McKinley High, Puck spotted Rachel talking to Tina at her locker. In the course of their conversation, her eyes locked upon him and she smiled. He smiled back but didn't head over, wanting to let her continue her conversation. He'd see her in math anyway.

Tina laughed a little when she saw Rachel's face light up.

"So, things are going well?" Rachel's smile faded.

"I think so. Yesterday was great and I finally found what I was missing. I needed to be able to fight for myself, and I'm feeling absolutely empowered. And Noah seemed to be comfortable with my confidence, but then I didn't hear anything from him, and I thought that perhaps he would contact me, since he seemed to be quite determined to repair our relationship. Perhaps, since he is a male, he figured that it would be somewhat of an affront to his manhood to be the first to call, but then again…"

"Rachel, you're rambling."

"I'm sorry, Tina. Thank you for telling me."

"You said you're confident now, so be confident that things will work out, and that you're not doing anything wrong. He probably feels just as weird as you do." Rachel's smile returned.

"What would I do without you Tina? Speaking of which, thank you for your musical assault on Santana yesterday. It was quite refreshing to see her embarrassed."

"I could say the same about you taking down Kurt and Mercedes. Santana can be a bitch, but at least she's honest about it. I used to be close with those two, but once they joined the Cheerios, all they cared about was their reputation. I mean, trying to get ourselves on the Glist was fun, but when that was done it was back to them being Cheerios and Artie and I being on our own again. I want to be friends with them, I just wish they'd be consistent about who they are."

"That's exactly how I felt as well, so I'm glad we were able to help each other." Not for the first time, Rachel was thrilled that she and Tina had become friends. This was an amazing feeling. A glance at the clock let the girls know that they needed to head off to class. With a promise to sit by each other in Glee, they headed off in their different directions.

Math was an interesting experience. They were taking a test, so Rachel and Puck couldn't talk, but being near each other was driving them each crazy. There were about a hundred things to discuss, and besides that, there was the instinct to forget the discussion and move on to more pleasant activities. By the time the period ended, they were both at a simmer.

As they walked together to Glee, however, they found themselves at a loss for words.

"I'm doing my song today." Puck finally said.

"Me too." She replied with a smile.

"Good timing." He laughed. When they reached the choir room, Puck noticed Rachel take a deep breath and straighten her back a bit. With a little more strut in her step, she walked in, sending a quick glance Santana's way to let her know that she had not backed down since yesterday. The Cheerio was sitting off to the side with Brittany, glaring at Rachel. Rachel simply smiled and sat down next to Tina, and Puck continued the show by sitting down next to Rachel.

"Glee has become so entertaining these past few weeks." Tina commented with a chuckle.

"You said it." Artie joked from beside her.

"Okay, guys, let's get started." Mr. Schue said as he walked in. "Who's up today?" Rachel's hand shot up and she didn't wait for Mr. Schue to call on her to head up to the front.

"I can almost guarantee that you haven't heard this song before. It's by a musician named Scott Alan and he writes these beautiful story pieces and, well, this one was fitting my emotions recently." She slipped her CD into the player, pressed play, and took a deep breath while the piano intro played.

_When I was young I fantasized  
I thought each revelry came true  
Secured away, unawakened  
A prince's kiss would bring me to  
We'd ride away upon his horse  
We'd journey 'til the sky appeared  
His hair would blow upon my face  
And we'd live happily for years_

_When you're young you dream for hours  
But I have learned dreams fade away  
And there it is._

_His hands, they're warm like a summer day  
His lips taste sweet like honeydew  
It's almost too good to be true  
The two of us can talk for hours  
About what seems like  
Nothing much at all_

_He's not afraid to show his affections  
He's not afraid to fall deeply in love  
And there it is  
That's just the thing  
I'm not the same  
I am afraid_

_I'm scared to death  
To love the way I once did  
If I surrender, would it hurt me like it did back then?_

_He's a budding rosebud  
I'm just the thorn upon his stem  
He's misunderstanding  
But he still loves me as I am  
And there it is.  
Yes, there it is. _

_Yes I know he loves me  
Maybe it's time to let him in  
Start my heart over and let this new chapter begin  
With him_

_Well, there it is.  
Yes, there it is._

The group broke out in applause, but Rachel's eyes were set on the one person clapping the hardest from front row.

"That was a very honest piece, Rachel, and I thought it was great. Another strong performance, as usual." Rachel smiled at his comments as she headed back to her seat. "Who's next?" To the surprise of a few in the room, Puck raised his hand up. He didn't usually participate in the weekly challenges unless he was coerced. "Okay, Puck, let's see what you've got." He sauntered up to the front and stood where Rachel just had.

"I got talked into expanding my music knowledge recently," He started, shooting a smile Rachel's way, "And I found a song that I related to. I've been asking a lot of questions recently about who I am and what I want, and I think this will help everyone know my answer."

_One light shines in the drive  
One single sign that our house is alive.  
Our house, our own  
So why do I live there alone?_

Tell me why I wait through the night,  
And why do I leave on the light?  
You know—I know,  
Our house was a home long ago.  


_Take this chance,  
'Cause it may be our last  
To be free,  
To let go of the past,  
And to try,  
To get through all this strife,  
To let our love never die  
Or to just live our life._

Take my hand,  
And let me take you heart,  
Keep it far  
From what keeps us apart  
Let us start  
With a light in the dark.  


Suddenly, Puck walked forward and pulled Rachel out of her seat. He knew that she knew the lyrics, he needed a female vocalist to help him with the end of the song, and he wanted her to be a part of his gesture, not just showing Glee that he was serious, but specifically showing her.

_Night falls I stare at the walls_

**I stare at these walls**

_I wake and wander the halls_

**I get lost in these halls**

_And I ache to the bone_

**It's like nothing I've known**

_**I can't get through this alone**_

He took her hands and pulled them to his chest, drawing her close so her face was just inches from his.

_Take this chance,  
And we'll make a new start  
Somewhere far from what keeps us apart,  
And I swear that somewhere in the night  
There's a light  
A light in the dark.  
_

The song ended, and for a moment the Glee room sat in absolute silence. It was broken as Tina began clapping, following it with an "About time you idiots!" Most of the group followed with their applause, but Santana kept her silence in the corner. Quinn and Finn were smiling from their seats together, proud of their work of getting the two back together.

"Are you surprised?" Puck asked, still holding Rachel close.

"That you embraced musical theatre? Yes, that was a pleasant surprise. That we ended up back here?" She leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. "Not one bit."

**I saw a promo for the new season of Glee on Fox today. They didn't show any clips, they were just saying that it would be back in September and I got very excited! That may be my one comfort with summer coming to an end. Just two chapters left, and I promise to write more quickly now that I've gotten over my mild summer ending depression. Hope you enjoyed it!**


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